Time to check window and door seals for potenial leaks
sponsored links:Well, autumn is upon us now. Wet, cold weather has begun to move in, and it’ll stick around for quite a while like it always does. Soon, many of you will be firing up the furnace and getting the old wood stoves and wood burning fireplaces up and running for the cold months that are near. This is also a good time to check your windows and doors for potential problems with leaks. Those leaks could mean either cold air coming in from the outside, or all of your lovely warm air leaking out and heating the great outdoors. Not a good situation either way.
One of the simplest methods of looking for drafts around your windows and doors is using a candle to find them. Yes, thats right, a candle. How you might ask…..well….simply find yourself a dinner candle, or any candle really for that matter. Light it and walk around the house to your windows and doors. Hold the lit candle up beside seams of windows and doors. If the flame flickers or blows around in any way, theres a good chance you’ve found a drafty spot.
Next, you’ll probably want to remove any old caulking or weather stripping that you have applied in the past. Rain, snow, sun, cold, heat, all of these elements will deteriorate caulking or weather stripping over time, and its best to replace it every couple of years to prevent it from falling off entirely.
Once you’ve removed the old caulking, you can replace it with new stuff that should last you a couple of years before it should be changed out once again.
Another energy saving option you may with to consider is the installation of window film to create a barrier between the inside and outside air.
6 Responses to “Time to check window and door seals for potenial leaks”
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Birney Summers said on Sunday, October 4, 2009, 20:27
The candle trick is a good one, I’ve used it with good results. My biggest leak is around our front door. The door seems to be warped. I’ll be working on it this week. For more on weather sealing info check this our. http://energyboomer.typepad.com/energyboomer/2007/07/weather-strip-n.html
fishfinder said on Monday, October 5, 2009, 18:23
Yeah, a warped door is no good for seals!! Alot of the doors in my place tend to warp in the humid months of summer, but they always see to bounce back to normal after the humidity subsides,
Justin H said on Saturday, October 31, 2009, 5:06
Another good way to check for air leaks without having a lit flame waving around is to use an incense stick. The sticks will give off a small trail of smoke as they burn. If you move the stick slowly around the edges of your windows and doors, the smoke will start to blow where you are getting a draft.
The key is move it slowly, too fast and your speed will cause the smoke to wisp. I like this method because it does not have an open flame around the drapes, no wax, and it makes the house smell good in the process.
Regarding the caulk: Spend a little extra money and get a caulk that will truly hold up to the elements. For exterior caulking use a polyurethane based caulk that will allow for expansion and contraction. For interior caulk a silicone based caulk will work fine.
Justin Howe
Justin said on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 17:10
You can locate leaks by simply wetting your hand and feeling around suspect areas. Now that the outdoor temperature is cool you will be able to feel even small leaks.
Jessica said on Monday, December 14, 2009, 19:06
With replacement windows or doors, you can save up to 40% on your home’s energy bill. With high quality energy-efficient windows that are Energy Star certified, air leaks are no more & a warmer home is a sure thing. With the cold winter already here, that sounds like something to warm up to!
Please feel free to check out our blog post on home energy efficiency at your convenience!
newpro.com/blog/energy-efficient-homes/