There are a lot of places throughout your home where air is able to get in and out. This can make your heater and air conditioner work harder than it should. The culprit is often going to be through the doors and the windows, but there are a few other places that you will need to worry about as well. Looking for all of the success of air leaks and fixing them will make a big difference and can help you to keep your home as comfortable as possible. Some of the common areas of air leaks outside of your windows and doors include:
Your Electrical Outlets
It is possible that you will have some air leaks through your electrical outlets. This is not an area that a lot of people think about, so the air leak can go on for a long time. It is estimated that about 2 to 5% of the air infiltration in your home will come from the outlets, and the more outlets that you have, the bigger a concern that this can be. The good news is that it is simple to seal these up and keep your home comfortable for a long time. Some of the steps to seal these outlets will include:
- Remove the cover plate for the outlet.
- Install a soft rubber gasket over the outlet so that there is less room for the air to come through.
- Replace the cover plate and you are good to go.
Do this for all of the electrical outlets that are in your home. It can cost a few dollars, but you will be able to avoid a lot of the air leaks that are able to get in your home as well.
Filling the Gaps Around Wall Penetrations
There can be some wall penetrations in your home that can be a concern if you want to avoid some of those common air leaks that are going to cost you when it is time to pay your utility bill. Whether you drilled holes in to do some cables for TV and internet, you have some vents that lead to the outside, or there are pipes that come into the home, you can find a ton of areas where cold air will come into the home.
If you do have some of these wall penetrations around your home, then it is time to look at some of the simple tools that will help you seal up the area. Some of the simple steps to get this done includes:
- Go around the home and find all of the wall penetrations. No matter how small they are, you should find them and write them down for later.
- When you are ready to seal them up, you will want to start on each one and clean the area that is around each hole.
- Get some expanding foam and use it to fill in the gaps that are there. Even if it is a small gap, you can use this foam to help stop the air.
- Once the area has had some time to dry, which can vary depending on the type that you use, you can take the time to trim off the excess foam.
You can repeat this process for the number of wall penetrations that you have to deal with around the property. This can take some time, but if you have a lot of wall penetrations to handle, you will be amazed at what a difference this is going to make.
Your Chimneys and Ducts
It is also possible for some of the cold air to get into your home through the chimney and the ducts of your home. If you have some of these, then it is a good idea to come up with a plan on how to manage them and get them closed up so that cold air is not able to get through in the winter.
Chimneys, flues, and ducts can also allow cold air to seep into the home on some of those cold winter nights. You should take some time to inspect these areas and seal up any of the gaps that you see with the right materials. There are a few options that will work here such as durable weather stripping and high-temperature caulk depending on what you would like to seal up. You can also consider keeping the fireplace damper closed up when it is not being used so that you don’t end up with a draft, just remember to seal it again when you want to use the fireplace.
When you can combine all of these techniques together and you seal up all of these different entry points, along with the windows and doors, you will notice what a difference it can make. You will have the chance to work on keeping the area warm and some of that cold air that is common in winter will not be so bothersome when you have the areas closed off. Take your time going around the home to make sure you seal it all up.
If there are a lot of air leaks that are happening around your home, then you will need to look for some of the common air leaks that are going to ruin all of your hard work and spend your money by sending it to the utility company. Finding those air leaks and keeping your home as comfortable as possible. If you are worried that your HVAC system is no longer working the way that you would like, then it is time to call in the professionals to handle some of the work and help check out your system. Our team is here to make that happen.
At Plumbing & HVAC in Moorpark, CA, we are here to take over all of your HVAC needs, making sure that your home is comfortable in the winter and in the summer. No matter what is going on with your system, we are here to make life a bit easier. Contact a member of our team today to see how we are able to help.
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