Sealing

Sealing your home is the first step in making it more comfortable and energy efficient. Air infiltration is unwanted air that leaks into your house through openings, cracks and other areas. In the wintertime, cold air from outside that slips into your house can reduce the indoor temperature, and create drafts that make you feel colder. That means your furnace or heat pump has to work even harder to maintain the temperature. A similar situation happens when warm, humid outside air slips into your air-conditioned home. An improperly sealed home also invites pests, rodents and excessive moisture that can lead to mold and mildew. Sealing your home can help you protect its structural integrity and your family's health.

Click the image for a larger version.

Air leaks around your doors, windows or attic access can be sealed easily with weatherstripping or caulk. But there are other places in homes that are more important sources of air infiltration, among them:

• where the walls and foundation meet
• baseboards
• where electric or telephone wires, gas lines, or TV cables enter
• around outdoor faucets and water pipes
• anywhere two different materials (such as bricks and wood) meet
• gaps between sections of ductwork
• areas around dryer vents and fans

Some homeowners worry that they may seal their homes too tightly. While it's true that you want to ensure that your home receives enough fresh air every day, using air leaks for ventilation is a bad approach, because you can't control the amount of air that enters. It's better to seal your home and use proper ventilation to control airflow.