Air Sealing Strategies Near Binghamton, Johnson City, Endicott
Finding the best air sealing techniques & materials for your home
This video explains the importance of air sealing in relation to insulation when it comes to energy efficiency.
With the visual inspection and blower door test complete, you should have a pretty good idea of how much impact leaks are having on your energy use and comfort. Now what? You're probably wondering: "With so many leaks to plug, where do I start?" Don't worry. We've got you covered. Here at Foam It Insulation, we take a simple, common-sense approach to air sealing your home.
Call us at 1-607-821-0519 or click the button below to schedule a home energy audit and get a free quote for the home energy improvements you need. We offer all our home energy services in Endicott, Binghamton, Johnson City and the nearby areas.
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Before
AfterSince attics are vented, we should think of them thermally as outside in the winter. Because of the suns radiant heat in the summer, they are much worse than outside, reaching 140 degrees on the summer days. Clearly, we need to keep an absolute boundary between our living space and the attic so inside air doesn't move to the attic in the heating season, and heat doesn't pass up through our ceilings in winter, and down from our ceilings in the hot summer. To reduce overall air leakage, the attic is the first priority because warm air rises to the top of the house and finds any and all holes to leak out into the cold vented attic and is lost. Holes, gaps and joints include between drywall and framing at the top of walls, around pipes, wires, chimneys, electric boxes, fixtures, ducts, ceiling grilles and joints in framing. The reason cold air leaks in from the outside into the lower levels of the house is that warm air (the air you pay to heat in the winter) leaked out of the top and created a suction at the bottom. Attics are dramatically under-insulated compared to today's standards.
Adding insulation in an attic without sealing all air leaks first should never be done, because you are burying air leaks and making them impossible to seal later - and fiberglass insulation DOES NOT STOP air leaks. That's why Foam It Insulation first carefully air seals the many various points where air from your home leaks up into your attic and is lost. We use expanding foam, boards, caulk, and metal flashing and fire caulk around your masonry or metal chimney as appropriate. If necessary, baffles are installed in each rafter bay to keep soffit vents clear and prepare for insulation. Finally, our premium TruSoft cellulose insulation is blown to the optimum R-value. TruSoft will not burn, get moldy, or attract pests. Blown insulation fills all gaps and odd shaped voids, and by filling over framing members, thermal bridging is avoided.
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Before
AfterCan lights and ceiling fans can be a major source of conditioned air leakage in the home. This can be remedied by installing and sealing a cover which also separates their moving parts and wiring from the TruSoft insulation.
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Before
AfterThis very leaky attic was costing the homeowner a lot of money when it comes to the energy bills. It's surprising to learn can lights are a top problem in uneven temperatures in most homes. The best way that we could help them out was to air seal and insulate their attic using spray foam insulation and SilverGlo.
What areas of the house are most important?
It's important to seal leaks in the attic first (A) because this is where the most significant leakage occurs. Sealing basement (B) and crawl space areas should be the next priority. Air sealing all of these areas in your house eliminates a major source of cold air infiltration. With A and B zones taken care of, what remains is conditioned space (C), the main living area of your house.
Are caulking & weatherstripping enough to seal leaks?
Caulking and weatherstripping are easy and effective air-sealing techniques that can provide quick money-saving results. Caulk is typically used to seal cracks and openings around stationary door and window frames, and weatherstripping is used to seal moving objects such as operable doors and windows.
Caulking and weatherstripping can be used to solve obvious air leakage, but there are likely more cracks and openings around your house that you can't see. A home energy audit and blower door test can help identify all the areas where your home is losing energy.
Insulation should be part of your air sealing project
To make the biggest impact on your home's comfort and energy efficiency, it's important to make sure that your home is properly insulated once air sealing is done. There are a variety of insulation options that offer insulating value as well as air sealing characteristics.
Foam insulation can be blown into walls, attic spaces and between floor joists to insulate and reduce air leakage. Insulating spray foam can be used to seal air leaks around window and door frames, and electrical and plumbing penetrations. If rigid foam insulation panels are used, spray foam, caulking or foil tape can be applied between the panels to create a tight seal.
If you need to add more insulation inside your home's exterior walls, dense-packed cellulose provides air sealing characteristics to reduce air infiltration year round, therefore improving energy efficiency and comfort.
Contact us today for an air sealing estimate
Contact us today at 1-607-821-0519 to get a quote in Vestal, Owego, Apalachin, Jackson, Greene, Kirkwood, Conklin or any surrounding area. Foam It Insulation specializes in a variety of air sealing strategies that will keep your home airtight and energy efficient.
Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.
