Whether it's the hot New York summer or the snowy winter, Middletown residents don't want the outdoor air temperature inside their homes. Air-sealing helps your home maintain a comfortable indoor temperature by cutting down on air exchange. Many homes leak, especially at external doorframes and windowsills, and taking some time to improve the airtightness of your house can boost your indoor comfort and lower your energy bills. Here's how to air-seal your own home:
- Locate your air leaks. Some air leaks will produce a tangible draft, but for others, you should close all the doors and windows in your home on a windy day and carry a lit stick of incense or a smoke pen from room to room. Windowsills, doors, electrical outlets, cracks, and baseboards are good places to test for air leaks. You can also look for areas with blown patterns in dust.
- Use caulk to seal up leaky windowsills and gaps where pipes or wires pass through a wall. Weather stripping can help to create an airtight seal on moving parts of windows. If your window glass is damaged, you should have it replaced, though clear nail polish can provide a temporary solution.
- Use foam sealant to block large gaps around pipes and at windowsills, baseboards, and other locations.
- If you have a gap around or under your external doors, consider upgrading to a better-fitting insulated door or install a door skirt.
- Electrical outlets can be fitted with foam gaskets, which can be purchased at many hardware stores. Simply remove the plastic cover, install the gasket, and screw the cover back on.
- Make sure that vents — whether a dryer vent or part of a home ventilation system — are not blocked. If they are, air may seek different ways out of your home, and the pressure may help to open small cracks wider.
Air leaks can account for almost a third of your home heating loss, so air-sealing your Middletown home should be a priority for any homeowner. To learn more, visit us at C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning!
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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