Energy Saving Tips For Summer: Sealing Air Leaks

Energy Saving Tips For Summer:

Summer is the perfect time to try your luck at some Do-It-Yourself home renovations and remodeling.  However, before you begin your home improvements I suggest that you take the time to perform a Do-It-Yourself home energy audit. Performing a home check up first will help to make your home more energy efficient and cost effective. By conducting a Do-It-Yourself home energy audit you will save money on your utility bill, as well as having identified what needs to be repaired in order to be easily fixed.

The impending summer months can bring with them a great deal of energy loss; all that cool air from your air conditioner can be leaking out of the house. An important energy solution for the summer months is identifying and fixing these. Just by decreasing the amount of air leaks in your home you could potentially accumulate 5 to 30 percent per year in energy savings (Krigger, 2004). Not only will this benefit your finances but your home will be much more comfortable afterwards.

Begin this process by checking areas in your home that cannot stay cool from the air conditioning

Photo credit: SuperHomes.org.uk.

units in the summer. Be sure to check for air leaks at the edges of flooring and doors, along with junctures at walls and ceilings. You can easily check for leaks using a Smoker Pencil stick (or a smoking incense stick). This allows you to see where air is leaking, by observing the flow of the smoke.  It is very important that you look for air leaks on the outside of your home, especially in areas where two different building materials collide, because leaks outside the home greatly contribute to air loss.  Also, make sure that caulking and weather stripping are applied properly, leave no cracks or space, and are in proper condition.

In order to fix the air leaks that you find in your home you can use weather stripping and caulking to repair the gaps and holes yourself.  Use weather stripping to seal air leaks in movable components, such as windows and doors. For stationary components, use caulking to fill air leaks.  Of course, for a more complete and accurate energy solution may to have a professional home energy audit done.  During a professional home energy audit the inspector will perform a blower door test.  This test will depressurize your home and reveal many air leaks. By performing a home energy audit and preventing cool air loss you are guaranteed to have a more energy efficient home, as well as more money in your pocket this summer.

For more information on how to prevent and repair air leaks go to:

For more information on home energy audits go to: