AIR SEALING
For cleaner air, lower energy bills and greater comfort, the dynamic duo is air sealing and proper insulation. The less air that leaks out of cracks, joints and frames, the more energy efficient your home will be. You will be more comfortable year round. Your heating and air conditioning systems won’t be straining constantly to keep up. Where do you start? Contact Green Comfort LLC for an energy audit and custom solutions.
Air is all around us. It transmits heat, noise and moisture. Every place that your house or building is joined together is a place where air can get through. Warm air always displaces cold. It’s a natural occurrence. And that means the heat generated in your furnace in the winter will find its way to the cold outdoors. Think of all the money you waste every season.
A full 65 percent of American homes are improperly sealed and insulated, according to a landmark Harvard study – even those that are ten years old. Adding the right kind of wall, basement and attic insulation will keep that heat from transferring. Sealing under and around it with the proper material is also vital.
Energy Audits
How do you find leaks? Some are obvious, like the drafts you feel around doors and windows. Others are hidden and need to be addressed by a professional in a careful diagnostic process. These unseen leaks are far more serious because there are more of them. Most occur at the top and bottom joints of your house, but here are other areas that need air sealing:
- Your attic hatch
- Plumbing vents
- Wiring holes
- Around canister lighting
- Furnace flue
- False ceilings
In the Basement
The place where your foundation meets the wood framing is called the rim joist. It is full of gaps and holes where conditioned air can escape. In fact, it is a top priority spot for our air sealing company.
In the Attic
Trouble spots occur anywhere two planes meet. That means the joint of the walls and attic floor, dropped ceilings, and under or behind knee walls. Look at your home insulation: If it is dirty, it means air is moving through it. We can replace the foam, fiber or cellulose barrier and plug up the cracks where heat can pass.
Places Heat Naturally Escapes
Obviously, chimneys and furnace and water heater flues are meant to let heat escape. Building codes require gaps between these vents and the surrounding surfaces to prevent fires and building damage. These areas need to be sealed with special aluminum sheathing and caulk that resists high temperatures. It is definitely not a DIY project. We can do the job correctly.
And if your dryer or plumbing is vented into your attic instead of outside, you need special insulation and air sealing services. Contact us today and get a free estimate.
Whole Home Approach
We will do a thorough exam of your entire house or building using advanced equipment and diagnostic methods. Our careful audit will find thermal leaks and our team will fix them properly. You will begin enjoying lower energy costs right away. How much? It depends on many things such as the state of your doors, windows, ducts, HVAC and home insulation, but it will be at least 10 percent and usually much more.
What Else Air Sealing Can Do?
- Less ice – Attic sealing can reduce ice dams on your roof in the winter. These dams mean lots of warm air is escaping through your attic. They can destroy your roof, cause mold growth and rot building materials.
- Less noise – Many sounds travel by airwaves. Proper sealing will help reduce noise levels from outside.
- Cleaner indoor air –Think of all the pollutants that come into your home. When you perform air sealing, things like car exhaust, pollen and dust will be less likely to come inside and irritate your allergies.
We have been doing this work for many years and can recommend the best ways to make your house more energy efficient. Call now for professional air sealing in Fairfield, Westchester, Litchfield and all surrounding areas.
