According to recent studies, if you locate and seal air leaks in your home, you can save upwards of between 5% and 30% on your energy bill. Thankfully, there are all sorts of different ways in which you can detect air leaks in your home simply by using items that you probably already have around the house. Let’s get started!
Below are some useful ways to help you find air leaks in your home.
The Paper Technique
Do you have a piece of paper? Then you can use the paper technique to find air leaks in your home! This one may take some trial and error, but it’s a simple and fast way to hunt for problem areas. This one is all about observing. Find a piece of paper that isn’t too thick and has a little bit of give to it for best results (so no cardboard or stiff paper. Hold the paper perpendicular to any area you want to check for an air leak and watch closely. If the paper moves or is caught by a draft, you’ve found your suspect! This method will generally work best in areas like electrical outlets or near window frames or window sills.
Check the Meeting Points
Anywhere home materials meet on the outside of your home is a good place to check for air leaks. Walk around the outside and inside of your home and take note of any areas where building materials meet. For example, siding alongside your chimney, exterior brick connected to a foundation made of cement, outdoor faucets, exterior corners and other locations that touch but aren’t completely solid. Listen and feel around these areas for air leaks, as any of these areas would be a good place for air to escape or enter a home.
Cracks and Gaps
This one could take a while, but is a good investment of time to find nasty air leaks in the home. We don’t know about you but we have homes filled with cracks and gaps! Make that you take some extra time to check for any gaps or cracks that may be located inside your home, such as window frames, door frames, electrical outlets, baseboards, attic hatches, and more. If there’s a crack or gap, give it a check! It could be leaking air.
Thank you for visiting the On the Go Heating and Cooling blog, a Las Cruces heating and cooling company. We hope our blog gave you some insights on how to check for air leaks in your home!