Air Sealing

Air leakage, or infiltration, occurs when outside air enters a house uncontrollably through cracks and openings. Most homes have the equivalent of an open window in combined air leaks! According to the Department of Energy, proper air sealing and insulation can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs by as much as 30 percent!

Many air leaks and drafts are easy to find because they are easy to feel — like those around windows and doors. But holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawlspaces are usually bigger problems. Other common leak sources include recessed lights and exhaust fans.

During our comprehensive home and energy assessment, GreenHomes finds and seals all cracks, crevices, and holes in the interior and exterior of the home. We even seal leaks found in recessed lights that allow conditioned air to escape into the attic during the heating season and hot, unconditioned air to infiltrate in from the attic during the cooling season.

Homeowners are often concerned about sealing their house too tightly; however, this is very unlikely in older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house. As a good contractor should, GreenHomes measures house tightness with a blower door to determine the leakage and the need for ventilation.

After any home sealing project, GreenHomes also checks to make sure combustion appliances (gas- or oil-fired furnace, water heater) are venting properly. The EPA and ENERGY STAR recommend this on every similar project.

As shown in the illustration, most homes have excessive air-leakage and inadequate and poorly installed insulation. Together, proper air-sealing and the right amount insulation work to deliver the comfort you and your family deserve, and keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.