How to Stop Air Leaks in the Home and Save Money

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By TipsfromTammy
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Stop Air Leaks in the Home and Save Money

Stopping air leaks in your home can be easier and cost less than you think. Many areas of the home that allow outside air in and heat or cold out are hidden. The best way to find those hidden leaks is to start feeling around the exterior walls of your home at doors and windows. Winter is great time to do this.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Electrical outlet Insulators
Electrical Switch Insulators
Foam Insulation Roll
Towel

Step 1

Place your hand over the light switches and electrical outlets and feel if they are cold. If so, you probably have a hidden air leak. It is more common to have an air leak at the exterior walls, but depending on how your home was built you may have air leaks at the interior walls as well. Electrical outlet and light switch insulators are a great way to stop the leaks. They can be found at most home improvement stores or in home improvement departments of other stores at a very low cost.
Step 2

Another hidden air leak may be under the sink. Cabinet doors don't always seal tight enough to prevent air leaks. Some plumbing may not be sealed from under the house into the house. Look under the sink for any holes around the plumbing pipes. Foam insulation can be placed around the pipe to seal small gaps. For larger gaps consider stuffing the holes with steel wool and taping over it with duct tape. This will not only seal the air leak but also prevent mice and rats from chewing through to the inside of your home.
Step 3

If your plumbing pipe has a cap around it, pull the cap away from the wall. If there is a hole, simply use the foam insulation strip to fill in the hole by wrapping a small strip around the pipe.
Step 4

Feel around your front door, back door, and any exterior doors and notice which areas are colder than others. Those colder areas are a hidden leak which can be easily stopped. Foam insulation strips can be placed in those particular areas. The strips usually come in rolls with an adhesive backing on one side to stick to the door jam. The foam insulation is available in varying thicknesses. Choose the thickness based on factors such as how tightly your door closes. If you can look at your door during the day and see light, you may want to use a thicker strip. If your door closes tightly, choose a thinner strip. You can place the strip on the areas where you feel heat loss. Typically on a door, placing the foam insulation strip along the inside of the door jam makes for a neater appearance and less people tend to notice it.
Step 5

Windows are a common area for air leaks. Even storm windows which hold air better than some other windows lose air. I noticed an air leak at the bottom of my storm windows. To stop this leak I simply placed a thin strip of foam insulation on the window just above the bottom strip of the frame (see picture). By doing this, I am able to open and close the window any time and still prevent an air leak. You can purchase window seal kits for larger leaks. Your local home improvement departments and stores offer a variety of inexpensive products for this with directions on the package.
Step 6

Attic doors are often areas for air leaks. Heat rises which means heat may be going into the attic. A great way to prevent air leaks at the attic door is to place foam insulation strips around the frame of the attic entrance.
Step 7

Also, place foam insulation strips around the attic door to create a tight seal.
Step 8

If you are on a tight budget, consider closing off rooms that you do not commonly use. Close off air vents in the room and keep the door to that room closed. Place a towel at the bottom of the outside of the door to prevent the cold air from getting to the rest of the house. This works really well and helps to save money on the heating and air bills.