In an ideal situation, your home would be completely sealed so that cool air from your air conditioner could stay inside and warm outdoor air would have no way of getting indoors. In reality, however, many homes have small cracks and openings (especially around windows and doors) that allow air to flow in and out of your home. Today we’re going to talk about the effects of these home air leaks and what you can do to avoid them!
Effects of home air leaks
- Uncomfortable rooms. Rooms with significant air leaks can be extremely hard to keep comfortable. That’s because outdoor air can travel through the leaks and warm up a room, while conditioned air can escape out through the leaks. This is the most problematic in rooms with a lot of windows and/or exterior doors.
- High energy bills. Because air leaks warm up the rooms in your home, your air conditioner has to work harder and consume more energy to compensate for them. This can lead to expensive energy bills, especially on the dog days of summer.
- Poor air quality. The air that’s delivered to your rooms is filtered by your air conditioner’s filtration system. If your home has air leaks, unfiltered air from outside can seep through the cracks and cause contaminants to build up in your air. This is especially problematic during allergy season when there are a large number of allergens in the air outside.
How to prevent home air leaks
The best way to prevent home air leaks is to inspect your home for leaks and seal up any ones that you find. A good place to start is with your doors and windows. Examine the frames around your doors and windows and see if any light shines through from the other side. If it does then you have found a leak. In addition, feel around your doors, windows and exterior walls for any signs of drafts. If you can feel air blowing through, then you have definitely found a leak.
Air leaks can be sealed in a couple of different ways. You can use caulk to plug up any holes that you find, while you can use weatherstripping around the moving parts of your doors and windows to ensure that they remain tightly sealed.
If you have any questions about the effects of home air leaks, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Jerry Kelly Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical, your St. Charles, MO, air conditioning contractor. We provide service all over the St. Louis area, including towns like Maryland Heights, O’Fallon and St. Charles, MO.
photo credit: cbcthermal via photopin (license)
