Keeping your home at the right temperature is important for so many reasons. It impacts the comfortability of your home, keeps energy bills down, and helps extend the life of your appliances, to name a few. So, if you’ve been having issues, it’s probably time to look inside your walls. The actual insulation may not even be the problem. There are several common leak spots for air to move through. If they’re not well-insulated, then they could be the source of your problems.
Common draft spots in your home
Whether you’re getting new insulation installed or trying to problem-solve an ongoing issue, there are a variety of easy-to-miss nooks and crannies that can affect the temperature regulation of your home.
Windows and Doors
Gaps around windows and doors are often culprits. Even the smallest gaps can mean easy access to drafts. One simple solution is to apply weatherstripping to help seal these gaps. When installing new insulation, spray foam insulation is a longterm solution for ensuring these small spaces don’t cause any issues.
Electrical Outlets and Switch Plates
These can be surprisingly drafty, especially if they’re on exterior walls, as they provide a direct opening to the space between your walls and exterior air. It’s especially a problem in older homes with insulation that needs to be replaced. If new insulation isn’t a project you’re ready to undertake, outlet gaskets can help mitigate drafts.
Fireplaces
When not in use, a fireplace can allow air to enter. It has a direct outlet to the external air, allowing it to easily leek into your home. However, there are ways to address this. Ensure that the damper is closed during the months that you’re not using it and only opened when you are. Additionally, a chimney balloon will provide added insulation.
Foundation and Crawl Spaces
Look for gaps or cracks in the foundation and ensure that crawl spaces are properly insulated and sealed. There are several benefits to insulating your basement, ensuring that air isn’t leaking is one of them.
Additional sources of drafts
There are several other places within your home that can allow drafts to seep in. These include:
- Roof and eaves
- Vents and exhaust fans
- Baseboards and trim
- Ductwork
- Plumbing and Wiring
Ensuring that all of these spaces are well sealed (when not in use) and insulated will keep the temperature of your home where it needs to be for longer. Allowing air to seep in or leak out will cause fluctuations. While this doesn’t seem like a big issue, it can have major repercussions down the line.
Working with Northstar Insulating
At Northstar Insulating, we specialize in spray foam insulation, an amazing solution for homes and businesses that mitigate common leakage problems. Fall is a great time to reinsulate. Contact us to set up an inspection and get started!
