Anyone who has felt a chilly draft on a windy day has detected a wind-effect leak—air forced through the house by wind. In order to stop the unwanted air flow through your home, you need to identify what is driving the air.
Less obvious are the stack-effect leaks. These often combine to create larger energy losses than those due to the wind. Stack-effect leaks are caused by warm air rising through the house in much the same way as hot air rises through a chimney.The difference is that, in winter, you’re paying to heat this air. The lost heated air sometimes travels in convoluted paths—through cracks in the foundation, up through interior walls, and through penetrations in ceilings. However it gets there, it exits the house. Odds are, you’ve got both wind-effect and stack-effect leaks in your house.
Wind-effect leaks are easy to find. On a windy day, hold a coat hanger with tissue or kitchen plastic wrap draped over it, or even place a lighted candle near your doors and windows. Fluttering or flickering indicates a wind-effect leak and will most likely need to be treated by the addition of weatherstripping.
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Why we like it:
• Saves energy and stops drafts
• Easy to apply with double-sided tape
• Pulls taut with the help of a hair dryer
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Stack-effect leaks are tougher to find; you’ll need to do a bit of detective work. The two main areas in which to concentrate your search are the foundation and the attic. Start by inspecting the foundation from the inside. Look for cracks in concrete or gaps in cinder blocks, paying particular attention to the mortar between blocks. Mark any defects for later caulking or fill them on the spot. Also check for gaps between the foundation and the framing that rests upon it. Poorly fitting basement windows are another common source of problems.
In the attic, inspect plumbing vent stacks and chimneys passing through to the roof. Attic access panels or doors are also problem areas. Look for open floor joist ends in kneewall attics and keep an eye out for dirty insulation. This can be a telltale sign of a leak. The fiberglass insulation filters out the dirt as air passes through it. And if it’s not trapping air, it’s not insulating for you.
In the interior of the house, look for gaps between drywall and trim, around electrical and plumbing openings, and where recessed lights and hood fans penetrate the ceilings or walls.
See Next:
136 Best Ways to Save on Your Home Energy
Learn how to cut the cost of your utility bills with these simple, inexpensive, and effective measures. There are simple steps for cleaning coils on your refrigerator so it can cool better with less electricity, for sealing your house against hot and cold air leaks, for adding insulation where your house needs more, and making other proven energy-saving repairs and improvements.
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