Did you know that there are leaks in your home that are making you lose more money each month? Whenever you turn on your air conditioner during those hot summer months, a good amount of cold air leaks out in small cracks and crevices in different rooms, leading to wasted energy output and increased AC use. Sealing off air leaks within your home can keep more cold air in and limit your AC usage, lowering your monthly energy costs in the process.
At Canada Energy Audit, we provide homeowners with a comprehensive home energy evaluation to recommend different areas of improvement for air sealing and energy efficiency. We also help homeowners apply for energy rebates in Ontario that offer more savings and benefits connected to energy costs. After our energy auditors perform their evaluations, they'll handle all the necessary paperwork to ensure you qualify for the rebates.
Contact Canada Energy Audit today to book an appointment with our certified energy professionals. They know the best ways to air seal parts of your home, so that you can be the most comfortable anywhere you want. Here are a few ways you can address air leaks in your home and why you should seal them off immediately.
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How Do I Know If I Have Any Air Leaks?
When you call one of our professional energy auditors, they’ll help you spot areas where air leakage is present. Generally, air leaks can be difficult to find, but some early signs of it may include musty smells, drafty rooms, and ice dams in some corners of a space. Spider webs can also be good indicators of restricted airflow within your home.
The most obvious sign of air leaks is when you’re feeling any drafts coming from your windows or doors. Once you’ve found where the air leakage is taking place, you and the auditor can properly fix the issue by sealing it off completely. Another symptom of air leakage is built-up condensation on your windows or mold growth near them. Problematic seals will allow more moisture to accumulate and fester more mold near cracks and windows.
You can also find air leaks by looking for holes, cracks, and penetrations in your home. Locate areas that utilize wires, plumbing, lighting, or ductwork where air leakage is very often present. Other common areas for air leakage include some electrical outlets, attic hatches, bathroom fan vents, dryer vents, kitchen fans, outdoor faucets, and many more places.
You can find many air leakage areas by yourself in your home, but an energy auditor can serve as a helpful guide if you need it.
Why Should I Seal Air Leaks In My Home?
The main reason why you should seal air leaks in your home is to reduce drafts and heat loss in any open areas that allows the breeze to come in. A variety of materials are used to seal air leaks such as caulk, spray foam, metal flashing, weather stripping, and rigid foam, among other hardware materials. Some sealants are more suitable and better than others, depending on the location of your home and the severity of air leak spots.
Sealing off air leaks is a big factor in cutting down your energy costs. Energy loss can drive up your monthly expenses every month and contributes to poor indoor air quality and comfortability in your home. As a result, your HVAC system will overwork itself and you could lose up to 20% of energy produced from your AC throughout the day. This large amount of air leaks outdoors instead of being kept sealed inside.
When your AC overworks itself, you’ll be spending more money to operate it regularly during the summer and incur more HVAC-related costs. It may also cause it to break down and lead to a costly replacement in the future. If you’re looking to find ways to stop air leaks and seal up different areas, inspect any old windows, doors, sliding doors, and other areas that open up your home to the outside.
While air leakage can seem like a low priority for many homeowners, it’s especially important for keeping your home cool during the summer and mitigating your monthly energy costs. One way to put air sealing into practice is by caulking your home’s windows.
How Much Energy Does Caulking Windows Save?
Caulking windows saves a lot of energy in your home by blocking airflow from leaving and entering your rooms, as well as preventing excess moisture from building up. This leads to you relying on less energy to maintain a comfortable, cool temperature in your home. This also means having a lower electricity bill at the end of each month. By caulking your windows, you could have an average of 5% to 10% on your monthly energy bills.
To help you take advantage of special energy rebates and seal off air leaks, contact Canada Energy Audit today to get in touch with one of our professionals. Work with us now to start saving on your monthly energy costs and reserve a home energy evaluation from our team.