One way to save money on heating and cooling your home is to ensure that there are no air leaks. At Alamance Insulation and Gutters, we can help air seal your home. Not only will sealing your home decrease heating and cooling costs, but it will also improve the durability of your home and create a better environment inside your home.
Air leakage happens when there are cracks or openings in your home, thereby allowing outside air to enter and conditioned air to exit uncontrollably. Air leakage may become a problem, which can create poor air quality inside your home. This issue can also create moisture problems, which can affect the health of you and your loved ones.
The easiest way to solve air leakage problems in your home is to air seal the problem areas. Two simple ways to air seal your home are weatherstripping and caulking. Weatherstripping is sealing movable components in your home, such as doors, windows, and other openings. The purpose of weatherstripping is to protect those areas from weather. If you weatherstrip your home, you’ll want to make sure you choose a material that will be able to resist friction, temperature changes, and the elements. Make sure to think about the wear and tear of the location you’re planning to weatherstrip as well. The material you choose should seal effectively when the window or door is closed, but of course allow the area to be opened and used freely.
Caulk is a flexible material that is typically used for openings between stationary elements in your home, like around window frames and doors. You should use caulk for gaps or cracks that measure less than 1 quarter of an inch wide. The effectiveness of caulk depends a lot on the air quality inside your home; you’ll want to make sure you know where air leaks are coming from before you being caulking. Caulk does not only seal air leaks; it can also stop water damage both inside and outside your home.
After you have detected air leaks in your home, it’s important to evaluate what you need to effectively ventilate your home. There are three main types of ventilation: natural ventilation, spot ventilation, and whole-house ventilation. Once you’ve determined the proper ventilation system to cool and heat your home, then you can begin air sealing your home.
If you have questions about air sealing your home or would like to rely on professionals to do the job for you, call Alamance Insulation and Gutters. We service many areas in North Carolina, including but not limited to Burlington, Greensboro, Elon, Mebane, , Durham, and Raleigh. We’re happy to help with all your insulation and gutter needs!