How to Cut Down on Utility Costs by Properly Sealing Your Home

Heating and cooling bills probably add up to as much if not more than all of your other household bills combined. The simplest way to cut back on the already-high cost of these utilities is to ensure that your home is as energy efficient as it can be. A home that allows heat and cool air to escape or to enter through cracks and gaps will cost far more than a home that has been properly sealed.

Finding Cracks and Gaps

The good news is, that most cracks and gaps can be found pretty easily by the homeowner. Simply light a candle and hold it close to areas where you suspect there might be air escaping or entering. The air movement will move the flame of the candle.

Exterior

• Check for any cracks or gaps in siding, mortar or foundations.
• Check anyplace where two different building materials meet up on the exterior of the home. For example, where siding or brick meets up with the foundation or roof.
• Check for cracks or gaps around exterior doors and windows.
• Pay close attention to where large icicles develop. If there are large clusters of icicles, that means that heat is escaping from the interior of the home, melting the snow and it is dripping down and freezing into icicles. This is usually a sign of significant heat loss.

Interior

When trying to find spots where heat and cool can escape, do not forget to check the attic and basement/ crawlspace. These areas can both be great energy-wasters if they are not insulated or sealed properly.

• Check for drafts around light switches and electrical outlets on exterior walls.
• Check for drafts along the baseboards on exterior walls.
• Look around pipes where they come in from outside.
• Look for gaps/voids around exterior doors.
• Check around ceiling light fixtures.

Filling Cracks and Gaps

One thing to keep in mind after you have located any leaks, is that even though they must be filled in order to save on your energy bill, you don`t want to seal the house up too tightly. Sealing a house too tightly can result in backdrafts, a dangerous situation that causes pollutants and, potentially, carbon monoxide to build up in your home.

Caulking

Caulking is the perfect way to seal up leaks around doors, windows, exterior joints or anywhere else that air may seep out or come in. Caulk comes in three forms:

Acrylic Latex :  is water-based, and the most commonly used because it dries quickly and can be painted almost immediately.

Silicon Acrylic :  is more flexible, but far more expensive. Is good for use between surfaces that might expand or contract as temperatures change.

Polyurethane :  works more effectively than water-based caulk but is hard to work with and to clean up. Is used for cracks in concrete, brick, masonry or on surfaces that have an oil-based paint or varnished finish.

Caulk also comes in a variety of colors so be sure to read the package before you buy.

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Applying Caulking

• Dig out old caulking if there is any.
• Run a smooth bead of caulk along where you want to seal.
• Run your finger (or the back of a spoon) down along the caulk to remove any excess. ( keep a wet rag or bucket of water and dry towels on hand for cleanup)

Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping is a great way to seal around doors, windows or any other place that you cannot apply a permanent seal, as with caulking. The trick to weatherstripping is that you must have the right stuff for the job. Luckily, the best weatherstripping is also the cheapest. It is a long strip of foam that is wrapped in either plastic or vinyl and comes in a roll.

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• When buying weather stripping always buy more than you need. If you don`t have enough and have to stretch it, it will pull back and come loose over time.
• If you are replacing a window or door, see if you can also purchase a weatherstripping kit to go with it. These kits are made to fit and ensure a better seal.
• No matter which weatherstripping you decide to use, always follow the manufacturers directions.

Expandable Foam

Expandable foam is a yellow foamy liquid that is "injected" into cracks and gaps via a thin, straw like nozzle.

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The foam expands to fill the gaps and then hardens until it becomes solid. Once it is completely dry use a sharp utility knife to trim off any excess - and you will have excess.

The good part about using foam sealant is that it not only seals, it insulates as well. The bad part about using expanding foam is that you must be very careful. It sticks to everything and is very hard to clean up.

Using any of these methods or a combination of the three should lower heating or cooling costs considerably, and make your home more comfortable, no matter what season it is.