Air Sealing and Energy Conservation
One of the many things you can do for energy conservation is reducing air leakage, or infiltration. Air sealing your home allows your conditioned air to escape through penetrations into the attic, which is then replaced by unconditioned air from outside via gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and floorboards. Not only are you losing air that has previously been conditioned, but now you need to heat or cool the replacement air. Infiltration is a major source of humidity and discomfort.
Most of our air sealing work takes place in the attic and the crawlspace. In the attic we look for penetrations through the ceiling such as framing members, ceiling-mounted light fixtures and fans, recessed lights, ductwork, and dropped soffits in kitchens and bathrooms. These areas are sealed with expanding foam to stop the air from leaking through them. A strong air barrier directly adjacent to the insulation also makes the insulation more effective. In building science terms we call this aligning the air barrier and thermal barrier. When you put on a heavy coat in the winter it is most effective if it is zipped up to keep the air out; this is a slightly different application of the same theory.
Did you know there are instant financial incentives available through local utility companies? We can help you out by scheduling an energy audit.