With energy prices the way they are nowadays, every bit of energy you consume in your home is important. However, if your home is leaking air, your heating and cooling system will have to work harder just to replace it. By sealing your home, and reducing the amount of air that escapes through cracks, holes and poorly sealed doors and windows, you can improve the energy efficiency of your home and save substantially on utility bills.
First off, thoroughly inspect your attic for leaks, or call a professional HVAC technician to do it for you. The majority of air leaks in the typical home are found around these areas:
- Recessed Can Lights
- Ceiling Fans
- Doors and windows
- Attic hatch
- Plumbing vents
- Wiring holes
- Ductwork
If there’s enough space to easily move around in your attic, you can seal air leaks with caulking, spray foam insulation and other insulating material. You should focus your efforts mainly on any larger leaks you find. By correcting the bigger gaps and holes, you’ll see huge gains in your HVAC system’s efficiency.
The insulation that covers your air ducts is another key component to minimizing energy losses and boosting efficiency in your home. By properly insulating air ducts that run through unconditioned parts of your home, you will help keep that conditioned air circulating through your home. There are many kinds of insulating materials, and the efficiency of each one varies. For your ductwork, you have to use fiberglass insulation with a foil vapor barrier on it. Without this vapor barrier the ductwork will sweat quite profusely. Re-insulating ductwork should usually be done by a professional to make sure the vapor barrier is sealed properly.
If you don’t feel comfortable sealing your home against air leaks, you should seek out expert advice. For more information on sealing and repairing air leaks in your home, contact the professionals at CCAC, Inc.today. We have years of experience in the Corpus Christi area, and will be happy to help you seal the leaks that are compromising the efficiency of your home.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Mathews CCAC Air Conditioning and Heating services Corpus Christi, TX. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
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