How to Seal Drafty Air Leaks in Your Home

There are many areas in the average home that are subject to drafts and air leaks. Whether it's dropped ceilings and window frames or air ducts or furnace flutes, chilly homes in the winter are unfortunately the norm.

Air infiltrates into and out of your home through every hole, nook and cranny. About one-third of this air infiltrates through openings in your ceilings, walls, and floors.

That said, the problems are actually pretty easy to fix, and the average family can save as much as 10 percent on their heating and cooling bills by tracking and sealing the leak.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• caulk
• incense
• rubber gaskets
• weatherstrips
• Your basic toolbox of everyday tools

1. Check if your home is air tight. On a chilly or windy day, light an incense stick and set it next to your window, patio door, attic hatch or plumbing fixtiure. If you happen to see the stream of smoke travel horizontally, you've located the air leak and may be in need of weatherstripping, sealing or caulking.

2. Install rubber gaskets behind outlets and switch plates on exterior walls.

3. Weatherstrip and caulk windows that leak air.

4. Install durable storm windows in favor of single-pane models or replace them altogether with double-pane windows.

5. When not using the fireplace, be sure to keep the flue damper tightly closed. In theory, the chimney is designed to let smoke escape, so until the flue is closed, warm air will continually escape.

6. For new types of construction, try to reduce exterior leaks by installing house wrap or taping the joints of exterior sheathing.

7. Insulation can be another culprit. Look for "dirty" spots in the insulation in your attic or crawl space where air often leaks out. Seal the holes by stapling sheets of plastic over the holes and caulking the plastic.

Resources

• U.S. Department of Energy
• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy