Easy Ways to Detect Air Leaks in Your Home

A leaky house is considerably less energy efficient than a properly sealed one. Knowing how to find air leaks in your house, sealing those leaks and scheduling a home energy assessment when warranted can help you maintain a relaxing living environment and decrease your energy bills.

Detecting Air Leaks from Inside Your Home

Initiate your air leak inspection on the inside. Here are four successful ways for finding air leaks in your house:

• Conduct|Perform|Carry out} a detailed visual inspection, looking for gaps and cracks on or near windows, doors, electrical outlets and baseboards. Pay particular attention to the corners of rooms, as gaps can frequently be found there.
• Hold your hand close to potentially leaky places on a cold or windy day. If you sense a draft, you’ve uncovered an air leak.
• Perform the smoke test by lighting an incense stick or smoke pen. Then, slowly move it near the edges of windows, doors and other potential trouble spots. If an air leak is occurring in this location, the smoke will blow around or get sucked toward the gap, revealing the leak’s location. The smoke test is more effective when done on a windy day.
• Utilize an infrared thermometer or thermal camera to detect temperature differences in your home. This equipment will help you locate sections of your home with sizeable temperature variations, which often signify air leaks.

Detecting Air Leaks from Outside Your Home

Examining the home’s outdoor structure can also reveal potential leaks. Here are two strategies for detecting air leaks from the outside:

• Do a visual inspection, paying close attention to corners and locations where different materials meet. Search for gaps or cracks that could lead to air leaks, as well as deteriorated caulk or weatherstripping and incorrectly sealed vents and exhaust fans.
• Conduct the garden hose test on a chilly day. This is where someone sprays water from a garden hose onto the outside of the house while another person stands inside near a suspected air leak. If there’s a leak, the person inside ought to feel cold air or moisture coming through the gap.

Sealing Air Leaks

After pinpointing serious air leaks, it’s time to deal with the issue. Here are the best ways to sealing air leaks in your home:

• Apply caulk to seal small gaps and cracks around windows, doors and other areas where air is getting out of the home. Pick a top-quality, long-lasting caulk created for indoor or outdoor use and the specific materials you are trying to seal to ensure a durable seal. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper application and curing time.
• Apply weatherstripping to doors and windows to help them close tightly. Various types  of weatherstripping are on the market, examples include adhesive-backed foam tape, V-strip and door sweeps. Choose the proper style for your needs and follow the installation recommendations.
• Use expanding foam to fill and seal bigger gaps and holes. Expanding foam is sold in a can with a spray applicator for simple application in hard-to-reach spots. Wear protective gloves and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to make sure you stay safe.
• Apply insulation to newly sealed walls and attic floors to further cut down on heat transfer. Even when you already have some insulation, consider upgrading to a higher R-value or adding more insulation where it’s currently lacking.
• Put door sweeps along the bottom of exterior doors to restrict drafts. Door sweeps are sold in various materials and models to suit your needs and aesthetic preferences.

Considering a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment

A home energy assessment is useful for identifying hidden air leaks and identifying areas of improvement. A professional energy auditor carries out this inspection, which includes the following:

• A blower door test entails installing a temporary door with a sturdy fan over an exterior door opening. The fan pulls air from the house, lowering the inside air pressure and drawing in outside air through unsealed openings. This test measures your home’s air tightness and makes thermal camera images more pronounced.
• Infrared imaging helps the energy auditor identify temperature differences in the walls, floors and ceilings, revealing unseen air leaks and insulation gaps.
• A combustion safety test makes sure your home heating system, water heater and other combustion appliances are operating safely and correctly, decreasing the risk of potentially deadly carbon monoxide buildup.
• A homeowner interview is when the energy auditor looks at your energy usage habits, home maintenance history and comfort obstacles to identify additional energy-saving possibilities.

Schedule a Comprehensive Home Energy Assessment

While performing your own air leak tests is an excellent starting point, partnering with a professional is far more thorough. Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning can help you improve your home’s air tightness with an extensive home energy assessment and customized solutions to maximize performance and comfort.