How to Check Your Home for Costly Air Leaks
If you want to maximize your home’s energy efficiency, it’s important to make sure it’s not leaking out air along with your hard-earned dollars. While drafts from underneath doors can be obvious, other leaks can be harder to find. In this discussion, we’ll explore a few simple ways in which you can find these gaps around your home.
Visual Inspection
The first step to locating possible air leaks is to conduct a thorough visual inspection both inside and outside your home. On the outside, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any gaps between windows and your home’s siding. In addition, look at all exterior corners and any places where two different materials meet. If you find any cracks or holes that are leading into your house, make sure to seal them with caulk right away.
Within your home, you’ll want to look for gaps or airflow around the following:
- Mail slot
- Fireplaces
- Baseboards
- Drier exhaust
- Vents and fans
- Electrical outlets
- Cable and phone lines
- Door and window frames
Smoke Out Air Leaks
You can also check for leaks that are harder to find by using a simplified building pressurization test. First, make sure to turn off your heating and cooling system and instead turn on all the exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen. This will create a negative pressure system within your home. Walk around your house with a lit stick of incense and pass it over the edges of doors, windows or any other suspect area. If the smoke is blown around, you’ll know for sure you’ve found a leak.
Call in a Professional
Air quality experts, such as those at Sutton Brothers in Kernersville, can professionally check your home for hidden leaks you may not be able to find on your own. Using specialized equipment, they’ll be able to depressurize your home and find leaks in your air ducts, around utility and plumbing openings and in basements and attics.
The conscientious team of HVAC professionals at Sutton Brothers can also help you save money by providing maintenance for your home comfort system. We handle all types of heating and cooling services as well as plumbing work. Give us a call today.