Unless your home is airtight, you’re likely losing valuable energy dollars by heating the outdoors. Fixing the air leaks in your Western Slope home, however, gives you back control over energy losses and high energy bills. In the winter, when the outdoor air is very cool, air leaks let warm air escape from your home through leaks and cracks.
But there’s good news: Leaks are fairly easy for homeowners to fix, and doing so nets big energy savings.
Finding leaks
Most homes leak in the same locations because homes are generally constructed in a similar fashion, using construction materials that join together, which separate over time. Here’s where to look:
- In the attic, check the chimney flashing, attic hatch/entrance, recessed lighting, and where walls, ceilings and floors meet.
- In the main living spaces of your home, look around dropped ceilings, window frames, doors, electrical outlets, light switches and connections between walls, floors and ceilings.
- In the basement, look for leaks that occur in the ductwork, sill plates, furnace and/or water flues, and any and all penetrations in the walls or floors from plumbing pipes, electrical wiring or other utilities.
It’s not enough, however, to just look for leaky areas. Use some makeshift tools to identify where leaks occur. Gather a smoke pencil, candle or incense stick, and pass the smoke over the areas listed above. When the smoke or flame wavers, you’ve identified a leak.
Fixing leaks
To close up leaky areas, homeowners can use caulk, spray foam or weatherstripping to effectively seal up drafty areas:
- Apply caulk around window frames, and plumbing, duct and utility penetrations.
- Use weatherstripping around doors.
- Install foam gaskets to seal leaks behind outlets and switches.
- Consider using expanding foam sealant, a type of caulk that will expand after it’s applied to fill in a larger gap.
If your western Colorado home is anything less than airtight and energy efficient, contact Climate Control Company for help. We’re happy to assist our Western Slope neighbors and improve efficiency by fixing the air leaks that commonly occur in homes. We’ve been providing top HVAC services to the region since 1956.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Aspen, Vail and the surrounding Western slope communities in Colorado about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about fixing the air leaks and other HVAC topics, please visit our website.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
