Construction of an air entry occurs with the movement of air in a house through open seams and empty spaces. In addition, an air entry occurs when air moves from indoors to outdoors. Too much air movement drives up energy prices and makes a house breezy, humid or dried up.

Anyone who has ever designed or built a home already knows there is a balancing act that needs to be done. If there is too much air leakage, your home can become too drafty and cold. You could also end up paying a higher energy bill.

Conduits to air leakage are discovered in entrances drilled for plumbing fixtures, electricity, ventilation systems and other utilities. Also, appliances equipped on the outside of a house exponentially increase air leakage in the house. Examples are lighting elements and electrical outlets.

Still another overlooked source of possible air leakage is the spaces between the bottom of the sill plate and the home’s foundation walls. Newer homes usually have a foam gasket installed, but older ones can have gaps that tend to allow a lot of air leakage into basements. Much of this can be remedied by installing foam installation to help keep air leakage at bay.

If you have patio doors or windows, sealants should be applied to these areas as well. Silicone caulk is one of the best sealants for this purpose given that it’s so flexible and can better withstand sudden shifts in weather conditions. Fiberglass insulation should be avoided since it is porous and is useless in stopping air from moving.

Still another area in the home that often goes unaddressed is the perimeter bands in between the floors. This is because air can come in through gaps in the siding and travel deep inside the home and far away from its entry point.

Several products are being marketed to assist with controlling the air leaks in your house. Caulk gums small holes or crevices. Expandable foam gums up large holes or crevices. Rope caulk secures perimeters around windows and doors. Foam gaskets can be utilized to seal the perimeter around electrical outlets and other entrances. Weather stripping ensures that windows remain snug in their frames.

While it’s most advantageous to minimize air leakage when a home is under construction, older homes can benefit quite a lot from air sealing measures, mostly because doing so is a terrific way to save on all your home energy bills.

Tags: Green Energy