Save Energy by Air-Sealing Your Home

Another article in our ongoing series about ways that we can save you money on energy costs and increase your home comfort.

Uncontrolled air leakage in your home can cause increased heating and cooling costs, drafty uncomfortable rooms, and potentially expose your family to unhealthy crawlspace air. In older homes we frequently find that very little effort was made to control air leaks. On all of our projects we pay careful attention to sealing penetrations in the building envelope. That includes plumbing, mechanical and electrical penetrations as well as windows and doors.  For example, you can often feel cold outside air coming in through the wall under your kitchen sink where the plumbing pipes come through the wall.

Air leakage can occur at any location between conditioned and unconditioned spaces where incomplete air barriers exist (like where plumbers drill holes through the wood framing to get into the crawlspace). We typically use materials such as plywood, oriented strand board, drywall, sheetmetal, and foam board to block large openings. For smaller leaks and around pipes we will use spray foam and caulk. Even if your walls are insulated, a typical fiberglass insulation batt will allow a lot of air to flow through.

If you suspect your home has air leaks or drafty spots, our BPI certified technician can come and test your home with our Blower Door, Duct Leakage Pan and Smoke Pen and help find your leaks.  He will work with you to find a good solution to solve your air leaks and add insulation to save you money on your heating bills. Call us now to save money on your heating bills and keep unhealthy crawlspace air out of your home. 541-754-6326

– Carl