How Can I Keep Heat From Escaping My Home?
Properly insulated and sealed homes promote indoor comfort.
Across the country, summer has come and gone, and soon the colder weather will be here to stay. During this time, we shuffle indoors and wait for the turn of the seasons, relying on our homes to keep us warm.
Unfortunately, some houses aren’t as equipped to keep the heat inside. When cold floors and drafty rooms are forcing you to bundle up, you may be wondering how to keep your home warmer, and Dr. Energy Saver is here to help!
Home Comfort and its Greatest Enemy: Heat Loss
Due to the nature of construction, homes can be left with many holes for air to pass through.
The greatest enemy of home comfort and energy efficiency is heat loss. Heat loss, also referred to as air leakage, is the scientific process that draws warm air to colder spaces. There are many permeable areas in a home that can allow heat loss to occur, such as around masonry, plumbing and electrical wiring, drawing the warm air that you pay for away from living spaces. Not to mention the possibility of lackluster insulation, or unsealed ductwork and aging windows and doors.
Using a test called a Home Energy Audit, a professional can come out to the home and pinpoint areas of air leakage or insufficient insulation. This way, you can know exactly where to start when making your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and cost effective to live in.
How To Improve Home Comfort
When looking to improve indoor comfort, the first step is to reach out to a professional for advice. The most common ways to increase comfort in the home is through proper insulation, air sealing and energy efficient windows and doors. With professional guidance, you’ll know exactly where to start.
1. Home Insulation
Proper Insulation can greatly increase energy efficiency and comfort.
Proper home insulation is an essential part of comfort and energy efficiency to any home. Using proper insulation material that has the correct R value, or heat retention ability, can go a long way. Not only will adequate home insulation make you feel more comfortable in your home, but it will also save you money and allow heating systems to run more efficiently.
There are virtually no areas of a home that should go uninsulated, including:
Home insulation ensures the retention of heated or cooled air, allowing the home to reach a desired temperature and the cooling or heating system to shut off in a timely manner.
During a full in-home inspection and estimate, a home insulation contractor will point out areas that should be reinsulated, as well as recommending the best insulation material for your home and family. Going beyond regular wall, ceiling or floor insulation, an insulation contractor may also recommend insulated windows and doors.
2. Air Sealing
Air Sealing fills the cracks and gaps that allow air to pass through the structure.
Air sealing is the practice of filling small cracks and gaps in the homes structure, usually around masonry, plumbing and electrical wiring with an expanding foam material. During construction, these areas puncture through building material due to necessity; a chimney has to go through the roof, and wires and pipes have to snake through walls to provide their functions all around the home. As a result, the home is left with small holes for air to pass through.
The expanding foam is inserted into these small cracks and gaps to seal them, helping to prevent air from escaping, keeping the heat or cooling that you paid for inside the home. Areas that may be air sealed include:
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Around Chimney Stacks
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Plumbing and Wiring holes
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Attic Access Hatches
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Crawl Space Access Doors
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Around Window & Door Frames
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And more.
By air sealing your home, you maximize the amount of heat that stays in the structure, and prevent the travel of dust, pollen, pests and moisture into your home through these small intrusions.
3. Energy Efficient Doors & Windows
With updated, energy efficient windows and doors, drafts will be a thing of the past.
Windows and doors are notorious for air leakage, drafts, and poor insulation. Older homes suffer with this issue often, as they have a tendency to retain original features, such as woodwork, flooring, and windows and doors from the period of construction.
Dr. Energy Saver carries a line of high quality energy efficient windows and doors in attractive styles and sizes. Replacing your windows and doors when they’ve outlived their projected lifespan is in the homes best interest, as well as the homes heating systems. With drafts and inefficient windows and doors, HVAC systems must work harder, and in turn could potentially break down and require maintenance or replacement prematurely.
Finding a Home Insulation & Air Sealing Contractor
With professional guidance, you can save money and be more comfortable in your home, year round.
With a variety of services geared towards maximizing home comfort, energy efficiency, and money saving, Dr. Energy Saver is here for you this fall and winter season. We’ve built a home comfort and energy efficiency contracting network consisting of trusted, highly trained local contractors. Make an appointment for your home energy audit today! Once the source of heat loss has been detected, your local contractor will give you advice for next steps and offer a free estimate on the service they recommend. Reach out today for your free estimate!
