Air leaks in your home result in energy loss, drafts, and poor indoor air quality. Additionally air loss can result in the growth of mold from moisture getting inside and staying there. This can cause serious health problems for your loved ones. If you have a loved one or friend experiencing respiratory illness the problem could be living with them and there is a way you might be able to stop it. Read on.
How to detect air loss
Perform a visual inspection. Look for gaps in your window and door frames, crawl space, attic doors, baseboards, electrical outlets, outdoor water spigots, foundation, dryer vents and fireplace dampers.
Do a hand test. Makes sense. you can usually feel the loss of heat if your house is drafty. You can feel on the wall and feel the cold. Place your hand around window and door frames, or around vents in your attic or basement. If you feel cold or warm air you are losing energy.
Use a candle test. Some cracks and openings may be too small to notice with the naked eye, so you can benefit from performing a candle test. Click here to watch a video on how to perform a candle test.
Hire an expert. A professional home inspector to do a blower door test. This test uses of a fan at your entry doorway to depressurize your home. Once the home is depressurized, the energy expert will be able to find leaks in your home with the use of an air leak detector.
How to fix the problem
If you have found pocket areas where you are losing air, you have a few options. You can add weather stripping around window and door frames, seal electrical outlets, and add extra spray foam insulation to the ‘problem’ areas.
What is spray foam insulation?
It’s a liquid foam insulating material which can be used in the attic, between floors, inside walls, around pipes, and also around window and door frames. Most spray foam insulation materials have an R-value, which measures the amount of heat resistance, that is higher than most insulating materials, such as fiberglass batts. Fiberglass insulation retains moisture and dust and can turn into a health hazard overtime.
This type of insulation is available in both closed and open cell varieties. Closed cell spray foam is dense and is often used to fill larger spaces. Open cell spray foam is lighter and less expensive. The type you will need for your home will depend on the area you are trying to insulate, as well as your spending budget for the project.
Benefits of spray foam insulating materials
- High R-values.
- Can be used to insulate roofs, attics, walls, floors, electrical outlets, vents, fans, and plumbing pipe penetrations.
- Fills small crevices that may have gone unnoticed during the construction of the home.
- Seals areas of air loss in a home to help prevent energy waste.
Take care of problems with air loss as soon as possible before they result in wasted energy, high utility bills, and jeopardized indoor air quality. Hire a spray foam insulation company to solve your air leak problems and make your home more comfortable. If you don’t know anyone who installs spray foam insulation search google for a spray foam insulation contractor near me.
Call Anchor Home Inspection
Anchor Home Inspection is always available by phone to answer questions regarding air loss and insulation. If you would like to consult with a professional about a home inspection, call Anchor Home Inspection now to schedule a home inspection today.
Anchor Home Inspections is a quality Home Inspector to Rhode Island and Connecticut. Contact us to schedule a home inspection or any of our other home inspection services.
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