Weatherization can help reduce your energy bills and improve the comfort of your home. Weatherization is all about minimizing the air and heat that leak into and out of your home.
Most homes, especially older ones, are “leaky” – meaning they lose a lot of heated or cooled air through gaps and cracks. Many homes also are not well-insulated, which allows heat to move through the roof, walls, ceilings, floors and garages. When air and heat move rapidly into or out of the home, the heating and cooling systems will need to run more to keep the home at the desired temperature.
Air sealing stops air from leaking out of or into the home through small gaps. Air sealing involves covering and closing gaps, which typically appear where different materials or structures join one another or there are holes for wiring and plumbing. Some common places for air sealing are where walls and beams meet the roof and foundation; along ducts and where ducts meet the vents; around outlets, pipes, windows, doors, at rim joists and soffit ends.
Insulation slows heat from moving through surfaces. Insulating your home’s basement, attic and walls will reduce the amount of energy that is lost through those areas.
Air sealing and Insulation can utilize many different materials, such as spray foam, foam board, dense pack or blown cellulose and batt insulation (usually fiberglass, mineral wool or denim).
When your home is well sealed and insulated, you will also need proper ventilation for moisture to leave the home. Moisture control and ventilation are essential for ensuring your home is comfortable and healthy to live in.
The simple answer is, if you have an older home and have not recently added any insulation or air sealing to your home, it almost certainly needs to be weatherized.
The best way to measure your air leakage is to have a qualified contractor conduct an energy audit in your home. When looking for a contractor, make sure they will perform a Blower Door Test. A Blower Door Test measures the amount of air that leaks from the home by attaching a large fan to the front door to suck the air out. During the test, the contractor will likely inspect air leakage culprits by using infrared cameras and other tools to measure temperature and pressure differences.
Working with a qualified contractor will help you significantly improve your weatherization and reduce your energy bills, but there are some impactful projects you can do yourself:
View the following Do-It-Yourself guides from the U.S. Department of Energy: