As it turns out, the arrival of spring doesn't mean it's time to put your home energy efficiency worries to rest. O, contraire. Your home continues to be a living, breathing organism throughout the year, and it's up to you to take care of it.
As it turns out, the arrival of spring doesn't mean it's time to put your home energy efficiency worries to rest. O, contraire. Your home continues to be a living, breathing organism throughout the year, and it's up to you to take care of it.
Which brings us to air sealing. Air leakage is responsible for around 20% of heat gain in the warm-weather months, so whether you want to save money on air conditioning costs or just stay more comfortable, air sealing is an essential (and all-too-often overlooked) project.
What's so essential about it? Three things:
Comfort: air sealing keeps cool air from leaking out, and warm air from leaking in, keeping you and your family more comfortable all summer long.
Energy savings: For obvious reasons, a well-sealed house using air conditioning will use a lot less energy than a leaky air-conditioned house. Tackling leaks in the attic, basement, and in cooling ducts will give you the most bang for your buck.
Health and safety: Your family's health and safety is clearly just as important in the summer as in the winter. Air sealing prevents moisture infiltration, which keeps mold out of the house. It keeps the chemicals common in building materials locked up tight in the walls where they belong. As an added benefit, it keeps bugs and other pests from creeping through the walls and into your peanut butter jar.
Plus, it's a lot more fun to take on DIY home improvement projects when it's not ten degrees in the basement. Check out our full article on air sealing in the summer to learn more.
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