How Do I Check My Home for Air Leaks?
If your house has air leaks, it won’t just impact your comfort level. When insulation around doors and windows starts to fail, monthly utility rates tend to increase. That’s why it’s imperative to regularly check your Belleville home for air leaks. It can improve the efficiency of your HVAC system, ensure comfort in all seasons, and lower your monthly utilities costs.
Visual Signs
To check your home for air leaks, you should first perform a thorough visual inspection. Go outside and take a look at any areas where different building materials intersect. This includes door and window frames, corners, and points of intersection between the siding, chimneys, and foundation. Inside the house, you should look for small gaps and cracks that could create unwanted air leakage. Likely areas of concern include vents, outlets, baseboards, fireplaces, window-mounted air conditioners, and fans. Make sure to check interior windows and door frames as well.
Test the Property’s Pressurization
Some leaks are hard to detect. If a visual inspection hasn’t found all the leaks, you can conduct a building pressurization test, which makes leaks easier to spot. To ensure safety, you should start by turning off all combustion appliances. Then, you should close the windows and doors. If you have a fireplace, make sure the flue is shut. Next, turn on all of the exhaust fans in your home, which includes stove vents and clothes dryers. This will suck the air out of the rooms. Once your residence is sufficiently depressurized, light an incense stick. Take it around the house and hold it up to suspected leaks. If the smoke wavers or moves, it may be a sign of a leak site.
Hire a Professional
If you don’t want to conduct a DIY test, you can always hire a professional to check your home for air leaks. BELOMAN provides energy-efficiency tests for properties in the Belleville area. If you want to enhance the comfort, value, and safety of your residence, contact us today to schedule a consultation. We also offer heating, cooling, plumbing, and architectural metal services.
