The most cost-effective strategy to reduce your house’s heating and cooling expenses, enhance durability, boost comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment is to reduce the quantity of air that leaks in and out of your home. 

What is air sealing?

Air sealing is the process of finding and filling all of the gaps and cracks within the structure of your home, not unlike putting on a raincoat. 

Common Areas in Your Home That May Need More Insulation or Require Air Sealing

Attic

Heat gravitates toward cold, making the hot summer attic the biggest contributor of humidity in your home and the cold winter attic an escape zone for your warm indoor air. An astounding 30-50% of your energy could be fluctuating through the attic! 

Windows and Doors

Any area of your home that has direct access to the outdoors is particularly susceptible to energy loss and should be sealed and insulated with care.

Floors and Foundation

Just as energy can be lost through inadequate insulation in the attic, floors are often a common medium for air to make an escape. Gaps will inevitably appear in the foundation of your home as it ages. 

 Fireplaces

Fireplaces aren’t used year-round in most of the United States, so they become a source of energy loss when they aren’t sealed as they should be.

Benefits of Air Sealing and Adding Insulation to Your Home

When a home is sealed and insulated, the heating and cooling system isn’t forced to overcompensate for the escaping air and is able to perform at peak ability. This not only positively impacts the longevity of your system, but can reduce your utility bills by 10-20% annually through energy conservation.

Too much moisture can impact a house’s structural integrity or the respiratory health of those that live there. In addition, fewer nooks and crannies mean less opportunity for pests to become uninvited tenants on your property.

Air sealing combined with proper insulation is the most effective way to make your home as comfortable, safe, and energy-efficient as possible. Need more information? Learn more about the importance of air sealing and insulation by visiting us here.

How to Find Air Leaks in Your Home

These tiny cracks and holes can be almost invisible to the untrained eye, but a home energy audit performed by a professional will ensure that gaps in even the most difficult to access areas of your home are detected. A professional should also be consulted to ensure adequate ventilation within the home before sealing occurs.

Why should you insulate your home?

Although many homeowners don’t prioritize insulation, a poorly sealed home is the root of serious issues like inconsistent temperatures, moisture problems, and sky-high electric bills. The burning of fossil fuels for heating and cooling is the number one contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, yet around 90% of homes in the United States are under-insulated. 

Although air sealing reduces airflow to and from the home, insulation acts as a barrier to lock in the warm or cool air generated by the heating and cooling system. By reducing the amount of heat that enters and escapes your home, you can not only lower your energy bills but greenhouse gas emissions too!

Closing

Air sealing protects your home from wind, weather, dust, pollen, and even pesky visitors like ants and spiders from finding a way in by keeping the outside air where it belongs- outside. The air sealing contractors at Minnick’s in Laurel, Maryland fix air leaks with a combination of caulk, foam, and other sealants, often with a primary focus on the home’s attic and basement – where air leaks occur most often. If you experience drafts, have high utility bills, or want to reduce your carbon footprint, schedule an appointment to have your house assessed by visiting us here.

Click here for the ultimate guide on heating and cooling.