Air Sealing Techniques
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Air leakage represents about 25% of the heat loss from an older home. This can in turn, represent 10 to 20% of your home's annual heating bill.
Air leakage in the home is always uncomfortable. Now there are ways you can locate and reduce air leakage.
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First, ask yourself these questions.
Are some rooms drafty or difficult to keep warm? Is there a lot of static electricity in mid-winter? Is the heating bill higher than you'd expect? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, the good news is that your problem is likely to be air leakage and the sources can be found – and fixed.
Cold air leaking into your house is easy to detect because you can feel it. Pick a windy day, grab an incense stick and take a walk around your house. Hold the burning incense stick next to window and door frames, electrical outlets and baseboards. If the smoke from the stick moves at spots where your house has air leakage, mark these spots and repair the problem with either caulking for non-moving joints, or new weatherstripping.
Warm air leaking out of your house, through ceiling light fixtures, attic hatches or upper storey windows, is not as easy to find.
The best way to find air leaks is with a blower door test that comes as part of an EnerGuide for Houses energy evaluation.
There are lots of ways you can easily reduce air leakage:
- Weatherstrip your windows and doors and the entrance to your attic.
- Check for leaks at the sill plate, where the wood frame of the house sits on the foundation, and seal up big spaces with polyurethane.
- Cover windows with plastic.
- Caulk around all baseboards and window frames.
- Install CSA-approved foam gaskets in electrical outlets and use child plugs.
- Seal an open fireplace when it's not being used.
- Upgrade or replace deteriorating windows. However for best results, hire a professional who will understand how air sealing and ensuring adequate ventilation go hand in hand.
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Make sure you consult an EnerGuide for Houses expert to find out where to start reducing the air leakage in your home, and always balance uncontrolled air leakage with controlled mechanical ventilation.
