Caulking and Weatherstripping

Sealing air leaks is the first step in a program to improve the energy efficiency of your home. The energy, time, and money you spend will repay you quickly - often in one winter! If you live in an older house that has not been fully weatherized, between 20% and 50% of your heating bill can be attributed to air leakage alone. You may needlessly be losing hundreds of dollars each year as heated air slithers through the cracks in your home. You can address air leakage by caulking, weatherstripping and using foam insulation.

Caution

Seal tight and ventilate right!  Reducing air leakage below the building tightness limit without proper ventilation can cause serious moisture and indoor air quality problems.  We recommend hiring a BPI accredited contractor to perform an energy audit prior to beginning work.  

What to Do:

1) Before you can seal leaks you must find them. Most important places to concentrate on looking for air leaks are in the basement and in the attic.

2) Start first with the basement and then with the attic. Once those are done it's time to address the obvious holes--around windows and doors. Caulk, weatherstripping and foam insulation all come in many forms and each form is appropriate to specific situations. Check out the links to the right for specific information on where and how to apply each of these.

Savings:

A thorough job of leak sealing can cut your home's total air leakage by 33%-46%, reducing your heating bills up to 20%. This winter that could mean up to $300 or more in savings.

Learn more on our Doors and Windows pages.