Air Sealing

Much of a home owner’s energy budget goes to heating and cooling their home. The sad truth, however, is that the cost to do so is literally “going through the roof” …… and the walls, and the ceilings, and the floors. In other words, in most homes, a lot of heat (or cool air) is lost through leaks in what the industry calls the thermal “envelope.” Heat can escape around old doors and windows, through cracks in the foundation and walls, through poorly or uninsulated attics, around duct work or recessed lighting, and in many other areas that are invisible to the untrained eye.

Air sealing begins with a blower door test. This test will first depressurize your home and then measure the rate at which air infiltrates back into the house, in all of the areas noted above. This will determine how much energy is escaping and where.

Air sealing is a critical step to maximize the performance of the insulation in your home. It can save you hundreds of dollars per year in energy bills, as the R-value of insulation will decrease if left exposed to air movement.

Once the areas where air is leaking into the home have been identified, they are sealed with expandable foam. This foam is sprayed into the wall plate around the perimeter of the attic, around duct work, chimneys, pipes, attic chases, and recessed ceiling light boxes. Attic access doors, hatches, drop-down staircases will also be addressed. Exterior door weather stripping and door sweeps may be recommended.