How to Seal Air Leaks in Your Home and Prevent Heat Loss

Seal Air Leaks in Your Home

Insulation and weatherstripping are probably the best two ways to seal air leaks around moveable joints in the home. Movable joints are one of the easiest places to loose heat.  They exists around doors, windows, air vents and pipes coming in and out of the home.

Installing Weatherstripping and Insulation

1-Do Your Homework- Detect air leaks around your home. Feel for cold outside air around closed doors and windows and also around vents and pipes coming into your home. if you are doing this when the weather is still decent outdoors you might not be able to feel the leaks. Instead, wait until dark and turn on a light on one side of the door. Close the door and check to see where light is coming through.  If light can make it’s way through- so can your heat in the wintertime.  Make a list of all the leaks you find and measure and record the perimeters of the doors and windows you need to seal so that when you ge to the store you know what materials you need and how much.

2-Shop Around-Choose the appropriate weatherstripping or insulation for the job. For example, a gap on the bottom of a door may require more rugged weatherstripping as it gets pulled over carpet or hard flooring on a daily basis. Weather stripping to line your windows might need to be slimmer so that the window can still close correctly around it. Visit the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy page about weatherstripping for a good comparison chart on types of weatherstripping.

3-Application-Always be sure to follow the directions on the back of the specific weather stripping package you purchased.  In addition, Here are a few basic tips that may help:

•  When you apply weatherstripping it should fit snug between both surfaces- it should be compressed when the window or door is shut.
• Follow the old rule of thumb- measure twice- cut once.
• Only apply it to clean dry surfaces for the best “stick”.  Also, make sure the temperature is above 20 degrees Celsius.
• When weatherstripping windows, apply weatherstripping between the sash and the frame- it shouldn’t interfere with the window operation.
• For insulating the spaces where pipes and ventialtion ducts enter the home, you should ask your local home improvement professional what they recommend. Typically polyethylene insulation or spray insulation(depending on the size of the gap) will be your best bet.

 For more information on preparing your home for winter, visit our page on home winterization.