Winter is here. And with it comes increased energy bills. Isn’t there any way of keeping your home comfortable without breaking the bank? As a matter of fact, there are a number of ways of increasing your heating system’s efficiency to save money and energy. One of the most important ways is making sure you have an airtight home.
Cold air can leak in from all over the house, undermining your furnace and taking extra time and energy to heat your home. So before winter sets in, you need to find and seal those air leaks so they can’t cause you trouble later on. Here are some common places to find air leaks, and what to do about them:
- Attic. A leaky attic can make your chimney and flue work less efficiently. So one of the first steps toward an airtight home is sealing your attic. Check for cracks in the drywall of your ceiling and walls, and seal them with caulking or expanding foam. You may also consider replacing the drywall altogether. Places where the wall meets the ceiling or the floor, and kneewalls are other common spots for leaks. Also check for dirty insulation, which is a sign of air leaking in. Make sure your home is properly insulated to retain heat.
- Basement. The most common basement air leak locations are rim joists along the top of the wall, where the concrete of the basement meets the wood frame of the house. Seal them with caulking or expanding foam.
- Walls. Exterior walls often have holes for pipes, ducts, wiring, etc. The area around these pipes and ducts may not be airtight and may require sealing.
- Windows and doors. Gaps around windows and doors are common, and great places for air to leak in. Make sure you weatherstrip your windows and doors to ensure an airtight home.
For more advice on sealing and winterizing your home, contact our experts at Arpi’s Industries Ltd. We’ve offered quality home comfort solutions to Calgary since 1963.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about making your home airtight and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
