Air sealing your home increases its comfort and energy efficiency. Creating a healthy indoor environment involves reducing the movement of air in and out of your home through gaps. You can control your internal ventilation and lower your electricity outgoings by executing DIY air sealing home strategies.

Recommended Approach

Before adopting DIY air sealing techniques detect the less obvious escape routes and assess your ventilation needs. The latter focuses on improving indoor air quality while conducting a home energy audit identifies air leakage spots to seal.

Inspect all exterior corners and outdoor water faucets. Sealing cracks that develop at the meeting point of your siding and foundation preserves your structure’s durability. Also look for gaps around the following indoor areas:

• Electrical outlets
• Window and door frames
• Attic hatches
• Baseboards
• Vents and exhaust fans
• Television and phone lines
• Air conditioners mounted on windows or walls
• Pipes and wiring

DIY Air Sealing Home Tips

Once you detect the gaps and cracks through which air is escaping and entering, apply air sealing techniques. These include:

Caulking

Besides sealing air leaks, applying caulk around the ceiling and plumbing fixtures prevents water damage. Caulking compounds are available in disposable cartridges, squeeze tubes, and aerosol cans. You can clean water-based caulk with water while solvent-based compounds need a solvent for cleaning purposes.

While opting for DIY air sealing that involves caulking, execute the listed approach:

• Clean and dry the area you wish to caulk
• Apply caulk in a continuous stream during dry weather
• Hold the dispenser at a forty-five-degree angle so the caulk settles into the crack
• To avoid bubbles, direct the caulk to the base of the crack
• Avoid applying excessive caulking compound
• Seal cracks completely by applying caulk across all sides

Weatherstripping

Another useful DIY air sealing home remedy is to apply weatherstripping around the movable door and window components. The weatherstripping you choose must withstand temperature fluctuations and constant friction.

After sealing the air leaks, the weatherstripping should enable you to open doors and windows with ease. Tightly apply weatherstripping on clean and dry surfaces. Always measure the area twice before cutting the final strip.

You can combine different varieties of weatherstripping to seal a space with an irregular shape. Besides factoring in the cost, take durability into account. Weatherstripping materials come in varying widths and include:

• Inexpensive and easy to apply felt that does not effectively block out airflow
• Expensive vinyl which is resistant to moisture
• Affordable and durable metal weatherstripping like bronze, aluminum, and copper

Besides air sealing your home, you can further reduce your monthly heating and cooling costs by switching electricity suppliers. Make a comparative study of the most affordable plans on Shop Texas Electricity today.