Tracking Down Air Leaks

Air leaks are one of the biggest saboteurs of your energy bill. They cause your heating and air conditioning units to work overtime. But, you can increase the efficient use of energy by tracking down and eliminating sources of air leaks in your home.

How to Check for Indoor Air Leaks

Close your unit as tightly as possible—shutting doors, windows, flues, anything that vents to the outside. (Leave inside doors open.) Turn on the exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms. This pulls air out of the house or unit and draws outside air in through the leaks. A common way to identify air movements is to hold a lighted incense stick near a suspect area. The smallest movement of air will cause the smoke to move. Another method is to simply hold your damp hand near potential leak sites. Air movement will feel cool.

Where to Check for Air Leaks

Any place one surface joins another (even if it appears closed) is a potential place for air to move in or out of your home—for example, where floor and walls come together, such as around baseboards or carpet edges.

Small spaces don’t allow much air leakage individually, but collectively they can eat up a significant amount of energy. Check all spaces where any type of opening exists such as electrical outlets and switch plates, fireplace dampers, around pipes, attic hatches, mounted air conditioners and mail slots.
Also, be sure to check caulked edges. Don’t assume they’re still air tight. Caulk dries over time and shrinks. Another application might be needed.

Doors and windows are in a category of their own. If they rattle or if you can see daylight around them, they leak. Fortunately, they’re easy to fix with caulking or weather stripping.

Making the Fix

Weather stripping is the simplest and least expensive means to eliminate air leaks around doors. Foam insulation is a variation on caulking that is available as an aerosol spray. It’s well suited for filling large gaps like the holes where pipes or wires enter your home. (Use with caution, however; it expands significantly and can be unsightly if overdone.) For just about everything else, standard caulking is all you need. Once the job is done, test again to make sure you stopped the leak completely.

Prepare Your Home for Winter

Fall is the time to prepare for winter—cold and wet conditions not only make you miserable, but they can damage your home. Some winterizing can wait, some can’t. Make a list of what needs to be done, and tackle the time-sensitive tasks first. Here’s a simple checklist to help you get a jump on winter.

Indoor Winterizing

• Examine doors and replace weather-stripping as needed.
• Examine window caulking and reseal where needed.
• Examine and repair vents where needed.
• Clean chimneys and flues.
• Remove items near heat vents.
• Place nonskid runners or door mats outside to help keep water, sand and salt out of the house.

Outdoor Winterizing

• Cut back tree branches and shrubs that hide signs or block light.
• Examine outdoor handrails and tighten if needed.
• Turn off electrical breakers for outdoor equipment.
• Close hose bibs.
• Clean out gutters and downspouts.
• Clear yard drains.
• Spray outdoor locks and hinges with lubricant.
• Stake driveway and walkway edges that may be difficult to find under deep snow.

Assemble, stockpile or refresh winter supplies:

• Batteries
• Candles and matches
• Ice melt and deicer
• Sand
• Snow shovels
• Generator fuel
• Antifreeze

Stay Cool and Conserve Electricity This Summer

Energy bills—like the temperature—always rise in the summer. But don’t fret: While there are big fixes* you can incorporate to make your home more energy-efficient, there are also many inexpensive energy solutions, as well as some simple and free steps that you can take to cut down on costs and save money.

Turn it up. Set your thermostat as high as possible. Start with 78 degrees when at home and 85 degrees when away. For each degree above 72 you set the thermostat, you save between 1-3 percent. Be sure to take into consideration your health and comfort, and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.

Circulate air. Use fans to create cool breezes and keep the air moving in your home. Ceiling fans, in particular, can create enough air movement to make it cooler by at least four degrees. This could translate into a significantly lower monthly electric bill, as ceiling fans only use about as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb.

Shut the shades. Windows allow a lot of heat into your home. Keep drapes and shades closed during the day to keep the temperature down.

Open nights. At night, if it’s cooler outside than in, open your windows! Not only will this bring some fresh air into your home, it will give you a chance to turn off that AC. Also, be sure to close your windows in the morning to keep the cooler air in longer.

Wash and dry wisely. Run only full loads when using your dishwasher or washing machine. Whenever possible, run those appliances during off-peak hours or when your air conditioner is turned off or barely running, which typically is during the evening, to save energy. Use the clothes dryers’ moisture-sensing automatic drying setting if it has one, and clean your clothes dryers’ lint trap after each use.

Unplug. Electronics—such as TVs, DVDs, chargers, computers, printers and other devices—use electricity even when they are turned off. By unplugging these devices when you’re not using them, you only save a few watts, but they quickly add up to bigger savings over time. Use a power strip for multiple devices, and switch it off before you go to bed. Also, turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.

Plan pool time. If you have a pool, shorten the operating time if possible. Switch the pool filter and sweeper operations to off-peak hours and during nighttime if the pool has automatic cleaning settings.

*As always, be sure to consult with the association to get approval for any major renovations on your home.