Homeowners urged to prevent drafts, leaks

No matter where you live, temperature changes and inefficient homes can cause drafty rooms or cold floors underfoot.

Cold air can leak into your house around doors, windows, light fixtures, electrical outlets and gaps in corners, causing rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable. As cold air seeps in through leaks, warm air can escape through other leaks and cracks.

Some homeowners may worry about sealing their houses too tightly; however, this is very unlikely.

According to the experts at the U.S. Department of Energy, the biggest leaks for escaping air are often found in the attic; recessed lights are another common location. And if you have a fireplace, be sure to close the damper when you’re not using it.

Many drafts and air leaks are easy to locate because they can easily be felt — like those around doors and windows. But cracks and holes hidden in basements, attics and crawl spaces are usually bigger culprits. Sealing these leaks with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping can improve your comfort and reduce hefty utility bills.

You can fix some of these things yourself, but for the best solutions you probably need to hire a heating and cooling contractor. Ask your contractor to check that your heating and cooling system is providing enough air to each room, and to check ducts for air leaks and balanced airflow.

Most importantly, after any home-sealing project, have a heating and cooling technician check to make sure that your appliances (gas- or oil-fired furnace, water heater and dryer) are venting properly.

Home sealing should also help solve the problem of cold floors, especially if you take the time to make sure your house is properly insulated, as well. Although some types of floor coverings (such as, stone, tile, wood or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet, insufficient insulation or air infiltration could be the cause for cold floors.

Common locations for cold floor problems include floors over garages, basement floors and floors over crawl spaces.

Proper insulation will help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are several common types of insulation, such as fiberglass, cellulose, rigid foam board and spray foam.

When correctly installed, the proper types of insulation can deliver comfort and help lower energy bills.

Remember that insulation works best when air is not moving through or around it. So it is very important to seal air leaks prior to installing insulation.

To learn more about proper home sealing and insulation, visit the government’s free energy-efficient home-improvement Web site at www.energystar.com.

Information courtesy StatePoint Media