Air sealing, in simple terms, is the process of closing the openings and cracks in your home to prevent cool or warm air from leaking out. Apart from stabilizing the temperature of your home, air sealing is also crucial for moisture control. This is important in regions like Colorado where there is a constant need for home heating. The most ideal time to air seal your home is during the time of construction.
Air sealing procedure
You air seal your home to achieve controlled ventilation. This way, you can reduce the costs of heating and cooling, improve the levels of comfort, and increase the structural longevity of your home. The first step of the procedure is to detect the existing air leakages. Even the minutest leakages (such as those from door and window frames and electrical outlets) can cause moisture retention and create cold spots and drafts. So you need to hire a qualified technician to carefully detect air leaks and assess your energy requirements. Air leakage site can be found by Building Pressurization or Blower Door Testing, which will help you accurately determine the interior as well as exterior leakage sites.
The next step is to design the indoor ventilation system, which is very important because air sealing can seal volatile contaminants within your home. For this, you can choose spot ventilation (such as fans) or whole house ventilation (such as exhaust fans). Finally, you should select the type of air sealing you want to be installed in your home, some of which are discussed below.
Types of air sealing
Air Barriers method is the most common of the three main types of air sealing. This method can reduce about 30 percent of your energy costs, and can be achieved by using insulation variants like tapes or foam sealants. House Wrap is a method that is done while constructing a new house. It comes in many types, and is installed on top of the exterior side of the walls to protect the building from air and moisture. The next is the Airtight Drywall method, where a mixture of simple caulk and seal can significantly envelope the house from leakage.
A professional Colorado air sealing expert will help you identify the best methods and practices suited for your home and climatic conditions. This way, you can build your energy efficient home and also save on cost.
