About Building Weatherization
If a building is leaking air through gaps in windows, doors and air conditioners, it needs to be weatherized. To weatherize a building, the gaps need to be filled with caulking or weather-stripping. But the most important step is the identification of problem areas. After that, you can take the appropriate steps to fix the areas that need it most. The U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE, has created a special public information and assistance program for this purpose. You may even qualify for federal weatherization assistance under the 2009 Recovery Act of Congress. See the 2009 Recovery Act FAQs at the end of this article for more information about how the government can help you weatherize your home or building. Does this Spark an idea?
-
The Facts
-
Gaps around building components, or in exterior-wall insulation can cost thousands of dollars every year in wasted energy. For example, if you are using an air conditioner and the cool air inside is mixing with the warm air outside, the air conditioner will have to be turned up in order to compensate, costing you more money. The DOE estimates that the average cost to fully weatherize a home is $6,500, but the savings on energy costs will offset that amount within a few years.
Do It Yourself Energy Audits
-
The most important step in weatherizing your home is to find out where the problems are. The DOE advises homeowners to either hire a professional energy auditor or perform an audit themselves. The first step to doing it yourself is locating air leaks. Common locations are electrical outlets, window frames, attic doors, fireplaces, air conditioner mounts and doors. One tip the DOE offers is to attempt to rattle your doors and windows. If you can, that means there is room for air to pass through. For a full list of recommendations, see the DOE Do-It-Yourself Audit guide at the end of this article.
-
Professional Energy Audits
-
If you feel more comfortable letting the experts handle the energy audit, you can hire a professional energy auditor. He will perform several tests in order to find problem areas in your home. One common technique he might use is the blower door test. The blower door test uses a powerful door-mounted fan to suck the air out of your home. Pressure gauges will measure the air pressure outside and inside your home, and the auditor will use this information to make recommendations about weatherization.
Solutions
-
After you know what your problem areas are, you can begin to weatherize your home. The DOE offers a fact sheet to help outline all the ways people can weatherize. The fact sheet contains tips ranging from how to properly shade windows, to how to design your landscaping in order to maximize the benefits of the shade from your shrubbery. Also, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has issued a guide to caulking and weather-stripping. In the guide, there are detailed descriptions of the benefits of certain types of caulk and diagrams of commonly under-protected areas.
Common Weatherization Techniques
-
Once a building is adequately caulked and weather-stripped, no air should pass in or out. If windows and doors are very old, new energy-efficient models should be installed. If there is a gap under a door, you may need a new threshold. Air conditioners should be correctly mounted so that gaps are minimal. Fireplaces that are drafty may need new dampers.
-
