Home Weatherization

The typical home is said to have enough air leaks that’s equivalent to having a window open year-round. If you’re like the typical homeowner, that means you’re basically wasting 20% or more of the energy you pay to heat and cool your home. Needless to say, weatherizing your home can add tremendous energy and cost savings.

In this first of three series of articles regarding weatherizing your home, we will dive in a little deeper and discuss why you need it, where to look for air leaks, and how to figure out if you need it.

It Goes Beyond the Savings

Yes, by weatherizing your home you will feel more comfortable during the hottest and coldest of months, and save energy and money in the process. However, weatherizing goes further, beyond the idea of protecting the envelop of the house to prevent loss of energy from the unwanted exchange of inside and outside air.

Here’s what you may not know: Preventing the unwanted circulation or infiltration of air also reduces humidity, dust and pollen; eliminates pests and noise; and even prevents the growth and spread of mold that may eventually compromise the integrity of a building support structure. In essence, you can say it’s an investment in your health and your home.

Weatherization Method	Example of Benefits	Total Effects
Sealing	Reduces humidity, dust and pollen	Saves energy and money
Insulating	Eliminates pests and noise
Caulking	Prevent growth and spread of mold

Where to Look for It

Before you know what to look for, you need to know where to look. You may already know gaps and cracks in window and door frames are one of the biggest culprits of drafts, but the infiltration actually occurs throughout the house in and around these common areas:

Air Leaks from the Outside	Air Leaks from the Inside	Other Problem Areas
Cable, TV and phone wiring Chimney Door and window frames Electronic outlets on exterior walls (inside the house) Gas service entraces Kitchen and dryer exhaust fans Mail chutes Outdoor faucet Wall air conditioning units	Attic stairs / hatch Duct register Dropped soffit Plumbing vent stack Recessed lights	Attic space Basements Crawl space Floor Laundry room Space between foundation and walls Space between chimney and siding Roof

How to Look for It

The easiest way to get started is to call your local utility company to ask if they offer either a home audit / inspection rebate program (in exchange for the job of weatherizing your home) and/or cover a percentage of the cost of weatherization. Some states, such as Georgia, even have weatherization assistance programs where qualifying families can receive free home inspections and weatherization installations.

If you refer to or have to do it yourself, have no fear, there are simple expensive gadget-free tests you can conduct to see what’s going on in your home. Below is a summary of the self-test methods as well as the other options you have:

Who	What	Where / How	When
Utility Companies	Home Audit Rebate	Some utility companies provide free or discounted home audit in exchange for the job of weatherizing your home	N/A
	Weatherization Discounts	Some utility companies provide discounts on certain weatherization materials and labor	N/A
State or Local Gov’t Agencies	Weatherization Assistance Programs	Some states like Georgia have weatherization assistance for qualifying families	N/A
Do It Yourself	Incense Test	Turn off the heat Shut all windows and doors Turn on all the fans (e.g., bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans) that blow air outside Light a incense stick and pass it along the edges of potential leak spots Smoke sucking out or blowing in signals a draft	Cool, windy day
	Ray of Light Test	Turn on your exhaust fans Shine a flash light over potential gaps while a second person observes from the outside of the house Large cracks will appear as rays of light Small cracks will be difficult to detect using this method	Night
	Paper Test	Get whole paper such as printing paper or notebook paper Shut a door or window on the piece of paper If you can’t pull it out without tearing it, that means there’s a significant gap	Anytime

Next article will cover:

• What to do
• Comparisons of weatherization products
• Payback periods and more

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