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Home Weatherization

HOW TO SPOT AND REPAIR AIR INFILTRATION PROBLEMS:

• Look for disconnected ductwork
• Leaky or cracked ductwork should be resealed
• Plumbing fixtures and pipe and wire penetrations through walls, ceilings and floors should be insulated and sealed
• Light fixtures should be sealed
• Gaps where floors, walls and ceiling meet should be sealed
• Seal crawl space bypasses and ductwork openings
• Doors and windows should be sealed and weatherstripped
• Glass doors should be installed on open fireplaces. Close the damper when the fireplace is not in use.
• Attic access openings should be insulated and weatherstripped

WHERE TO LOOK FOR ENERGY SAVINGS:

Flues and Vents Fireplace flues and kitchen and dryer vents are often poorly sealed where they pass through walls and ceilings. The air leaks can be fixed with a combination of heat-resistant caulking and metal collar plates - available at hardware stores. Please don't use combustible materials. If you're not sure how to do this, call a licensed contractor. Holes Around Plumbing Holes around pipes through walls, ceilings and floors are often larger than required, allowing untreated air infiltration. Check all of the pipes running to your bathroom, kitchen and laundry area for gaps and fill any gaps around the pipes with insulation and seal with caulking or a wall patch. Air Infiltration Through Walls An air barrier house wrap should be used during construction, remodeling or re-siding to prevent air infiltration through your walls. Poorly Fitted Heat Registers Gaps between the edge of the register and the wall or floor can often be sealed easily with caulking. Be sure to use heat-resistant caulking. Light Switches and Outlets The space behind light switches and outlets can be easily sealed with foam gaskets specifically designed for this purpose. The gaskets are available at any hardware store and prevent air from coming in through the wall space. Don't forget to seal internal wall switches and outlets, as well.		Cracks Around Doors As your home settles, gaps can open along the door frame and the threshold - letting in lot's of air. Installing and/or replacing the weather-stripping around the door and threshold can solve this problem. For a large gap at the bottom of the door, replace the old threshold with a door shoe gasket - available at most hardware stores. Heat Loss Around Windows Apply glazing compound to wooden windows where the window glass meets the frame, and caulk where the window frame meets the house. For leaks around aluminum windows can be sealed using weather-stripping. Replacement Windows If you're planning on replacing your windows, install double-paned windows with low-emissivity coating and inert gas between the panes to reduce your energy bills. Fireplaces Keep the damper closed when your fireplace is not in use. Also, adding a glass door to your fireplace will prevent air-leakage into your home. Ducts Insulate your heating (and cooling) ducts to reduce heat loss as the air is delivered through your home. Leaking ducts allow air-leakage into unoccupied spaces (eg: attics, crawlspaces, etc.) of your home. Sealing duct joints with mastic sealent and insulating your duct work to R-6 will reduce your energy bills and keep you more comfortable.		Floors A considerable amount of energy can be saved by insulating floors to R-19. Walls In the winter, a home with insulated walls feels warmer and more comfortable than a home with un-insulated walls - even if the thermostats are set to the same temperature. Insulated walls will also keep you cooler in the summer by reducing the infiltration of warmer air from the outside. Walls should be insulated to R-11 or higher. Attic Insulating your ceiling is an easy and inexpensive way to cut heating and cooling bills by as much as 20% to 30%. Attics should be insulated to R-30. System Maintenance Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters once a month and have your system serviced annually to maintain safe and efficient operating conditions. Thermostat A programmable thermostat will help you control your heating and air-conditioning more effectively. These units, available in hardware stores, are easy to install and easy to program to automatically turn your system down or off while you're away or asleep and to turn it on or up at any time you set. Water Heater A water heater tank wrap and insulation for the first six feet of hot and cold water pipes can reduce your water heater's operating cost up to 15%. Check the Operating Manual for your water heater or check with the manufacturer -- many newer tanks should not be wrapped.