Draft Proofing Your Home To Conserve Energy
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Reduce your energy bills by more than 25%! Draft proofing is certainly a cost-efficient way to reduce these bills, which keep piling up. Research tells us that if you seal gaps in your windows, doors and other areas -- for example where exterior air can get in and interior air can get out, you will save money.
A draft is costly because of the constant airflow it creates. When you set the thermostat in your home to a desired temperature, your heating system or air conditioning works to achieve it and maintain it. But with drafts, your heating and cooling systems are working against the air seeping in from outside. When cold air from outside flows in when your heat is on, or when hot outside air seeps in when your air conditioning is operating, both systems must stay on longer to reach the desired temperature. The longer they work, the more you pay in your energy bill.
You can eliminate chills and other discomforts by seriously considering draft proofing. Just a few minutes of your time can lead to major savings, a more pleasant environment and can save your heating and cooling systems from working overtime.
Draft proofing is the process of identifying and sealing gaps and cracks. Some traditional methods are weather stripping and caulking. But an easier and inexpensive solution is putting draft blockers around the windows in your home and under all the doors that lead to the exterior. For those who rent houses, apartments, or condominiums, draft stoppers are an ideal solution for lowering your energy bills without having to permanently install something.
There are several methods for determining the drafty areas in your home. You can run your hand along the bottom of doors and around windows to feel for a draft. Or you can hold a lighter or match by a window or door and if it flickers or goes out, you have a drafty area. You can also look to see if your curtains move slightly when the windows are shut.
A step-by-step approach to draft proofing your home will help you to determine the areas that are leading to those expensive utility bills. For example, in older houses the doors and windows may have settled. However, it is also likely that due to the age and poor quality of material, as compared to today, the insulation may also be faulty. For awkward and out-of-the-way places, such as attics and basements doors, flexible draft stoppers are ideal.
Do not forget other areas of your home besides windows and doors, when it comes to draft proofing. There are a number of places where air could enter or escape, including openings where wires run through the wall, pet doors, dryer vents and mail slots.
You may have draft proofing problems in your new home, as caulking around doors and windows might just loosen from the weather. You will often find this around your sliding glass doors, for example.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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