8 Places to Focus When Sealing Air Leaks in Your Treasure Coast Home

A big part of energy waste in your Treasure Coast home can be attributed to air leakage, which is why sealing air leaks is vital to your home’s energy efficiency. Unfortunately, many homeowners have no idea where to look for problems. Here are eight likely areas in your home where you can begin your search:

1. Door frames – This is a good place to start. The edges around your doors are notorious for air leaks. Think about that draft you feel skirting across the floor.
2. Window frames – This is your second stop. Your window frames, especially older ones, develop small gaps over time, which allow air to escape.
3. Ductwork – If the design of your ductwork is poor or tears have developed over the years, you could lose a considerable amount of energy, in addition to hurting your indoor air quality as unfiltered air mixes with your home’s conditioned air.
4. Attic hatch – If you have an attic, the hatch leading to it can be a big source of air leakage. In the summer, you don’t want warm air from your superheated attic spilling down into your living spaces; in the winter, you don’t want your heated indoor air, rising into the attic.
5. Electrical outlets and light switches – Electrical outlet plates are an often overlooked location for air to seep out, especially when you consider how many you have in your home.
6. Insulation – Check for dirty areas in your insulation, which can indicate both air leakage and the presence of mold.
7. Kitchen exhaust fan – When this fan isn’t in use, it’s important that you cover it in some way to prevent leakage.
8. Fireplace flues – Due to the constant heating and cooling of your fireplace, its flue can easily develop cracks and gaps over time.

Most of these leaks can be sealed by caulk, expandable spray foam, or weatherstripping. If you think you’ve missed some areas or aren’t confident in your ability to fix these air leaks, hire a professional to conduct a home evaluation to pinpoint them, then seal them for you.

If you need further assistance with sealing air leaks or have other questions about home comfort, please contact the heating and cooling experts at NisAir Air Conditioning and Heating. We’ve been serving Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Indian River counties since 1973.