Checking For Air Leaks: Do It Now Before Summer Arrives

Keep your cool and be efficient this summer.

Most of us are familiar with the frustration of seeing our cooling expenses rise when summer comes around. With cool air leaking out through our walls, floors, and windows, we’re not only wasting energy but money too.

If you want to keep these costs down and avoid running up your energy bills this summer, read on for a few tips on how to check for air leaks in your home and prevent them from happening in the first place!

How to Check for Air Leaks

The first step is to call a professional HVAC technician for a full home evaluation. They will be able to assess your home’s insulation and identify issues that need attention. In addition, you can do a preliminary check yourself using an incense stick or something similar that will show any drafty areas in the house.

Don’t forget to check your ductwork for any leaks or cracks that might be letting cool air escape.

Most Common Places for Air Leaks

If you’ve done the quick inspection yourself or had a professional come in, now it’s time to start looking at the most common places where warm air can escape from our homes:

• Around doors and windows
• Between exterior doors and the floor
• By baseboards
• Around attic hatch doors
• Near electric switches
• Around openings for wires, cables or pipes in exterior walls
• By recessed lighting fixtures
  

How to Fix Air Leaks

It’s important that your home is properly sealed if you want to avoid energy waste. This is what you can do to deal with the common issues during your repairs:

• Install door sweepers on the bottom of your exterior doors
• Use weatherstripping, insulation, and caulk to seal leaks around doors and windows
• Apply foam board to the door and weatherstripping around the opening perimeter of attic hatches
• Utilize thin beads of caulk between baseboards and drywall
• Use fire-rated, insulated covers over recessed lighting canisters
• Use foam gaskets inside switch boxes
• Implement weatherstripping or insulation around wires, cables, and pipes running through exterior walls

Keep Your Energy in Check This Summer

Once your home is properly sealed off from outside temperatures, your Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) system won't have to work extra hard—or run longer—to keep your space comfortable during hot months. To help you stay even cooler throughout summertime it's best practice to schedule an inspection of your AC unit prior to its arrival.

Call a qualified HVAC specialist today for estimates on maintenance services so you can beat the heat this summer!

At Grand Rapids Duct Cleaners, we understand the importance of taking all the necessary steps to ensure your home is fully sealed and ready for summer. We provide a wide range of services to help maintain your HVAC system and keep it running efficiently. Contact us today to book an appointment and save yourself some money this season!

Conclusion

Keeping your home cool during hot summer months can save both energy and money if you take preventive measures before they arrive such as checking  for air leaks in all possible spots including window sills, cracks near electrical outlets etc., adding weather strips/caulks around door frames/windows etc., making sure your ductwork is intact etc., and more.

These small steps can make a big difference avoiding high energy bills along with staying comfortable all season long! Get in touch and we will assist you with your air leak checks!