Be Your Air Conditioner’s Advocate: Air Leak-Proof Your Home

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average family in the United States spends about a third of its annual heating and cooling budget on air that leaks into or out of their home. This amounts to about $350 that is wasted on air leaks!

If you want to get more out of your HVAC system and stop wasting money on air leaks, you will need to make sure that your home is leak-proof. Sealing air leaks in your home is an energy saving strategy that will not only help you save money, but also run more smoothly and efficiently year-round. Below, we’ll give you some simple tips for sealing air leaks around your home.

How to Seal Air Leaks in Your Home

Reducing the air leaks around your home is an affordable way to cut down on your heating and cooling costs while also increasing home comfort. Here are just a few cost-effective ways to seal air leaks in your home:

1. Caulk or weatherstrip doors and windows.

Most drafts in your home will occur around doors and windows, especially if you have an older home. It’s important to check for air leaks around these areas. If you find any issues, you can then use caulk or weatherstripping to seal the areas around doors and windows to prevent cool or warm air from escaping your home. For larger gaps around windows or baseboards, try using a foam sealant.

2. Close gaps around chimneys and flues.

There are often gaps between the wood framing and metal flues or brick chimneys that allow air to escape your home. The metal fireplace flues can also warp or break over time with repeated heating and cooling. You can close these gaps using aluminum flashing to cover the gaps and high-temperature silicone caulk to seal them into place. You can also seal the flue when not in use using an inflatable chimney balloon, which is made of durable plastic and can easily be removed and reused many times.

3. Insulate around recessed lights.

Most of the recessed lighting in your home will have vents that open into the attic. This presents a direct route for warm or cool air to escape. If you have many of these fixtures in your home, this can result in a significant number of leaks. Look for lights labeled “ICAT,” which stands for insulation contact and air tight. Remove the current bulb, push the baffle up into the housing, and replace with an ICAT bulb.

Save More Energy at Home

Sealing air leaks in your home isn’t the only cost-effective way that you can improve energy efficiency in Los Angeles. There are a variety of energy saving appliances or gadgets like smart thermostats and energy efficient HVAC systems that will keep you and your family comfortable year-round while helping you cut down on wasted energy and save more money on your utility costs.

To learn more about what energy efficient HVAC products might be right for you, give us a call today: (310) 896-4911.