Air Sealing: How Leaky is Your House?

Feb 01, 2022

With such cold temperatures this winter, many homeowners will be dealing with higher energy costs... but sealing air leaks in your home is a cost-effective way to lower heating and cooling costs, increase comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment.

According to the experts at FLC Energy, If your home was built before 2015, it could be 3 times as leaky as a new home! Many homes they test which are built before 1980 are 3-10 times as leaky! Those are serious losses!

Air sealing reduces the movement of air between the inside of your home and the outdoors through gaps, cracks, and penetrations you may never see. These penetrations exist around plumbing pipes, electrical runs, HVAC systems and the "top plates" of your interior and exterior walls. The energy professionals at FLC are trained to not only find these hidden leaks, but to seal them too. They highly recommend air sealing leaks in your attic, basement and crawlspaces to make insulation more effective, reduce uncomfortable drafts, lower utility bills, cut down on pests, and improve your indoor air quality.

HOW ARE AIR LEAKS FOUND?

Technicians use the latest technologies to perform a Blower Door Test, Diagnostic Testing and gather information with an Infrared Camera. At FLC, they even encourage homeowners to use the equipment right along with them. After all, that's the best way to learn.

AIR SEALING ATTICS

Since heat rises, air sealing the attic is the first place to start, targeting holes and penetrations in the ceiling, attic-access, lighting fixtures, fans, plumbing bypasses, wiring, and chimney chases.

CRAWLSPACE AIR SEALING,

ENCAPSULATIONS AND CONDITIONING THE SPACE

Whether you experience standing water or not, crawlspace moisture diffuses through your home by air-movement, fostering the growth of mold, creating uncomfortable spaces and compromising indoor air quality.

The picture above is a pretty common occurence they find in crawlspaces. This is the air-return for the HVAC system, and it is wide open to the crawlspace. This means that nasty air from within the crawlspace was being sucked up into the house and the homeowners were breathing it year round. It also means the HVAC system was working much harder than it should have to heat, cool, and dehumidify the air from the crawlspace, rather than the air from the house.

If you're ready to have a home energy assessment, here’s what you can expect:

From the attic to the basement, inside and out, an energy company like FLC Energy can locate and seal air leaks throughout the home. They'll also Test-In when they first assess the home, and Test-Out before they leave after the project is completed, proving the difference they've made, right before your eyes.

If you would like to schedule a Comprehensive Home Assessment, contact FLC Energy and start your path to savings.

602 Snow Hill Rd. Salisbury Md. 21804