How efficient is your house? You might wonder what we mean by that. Are we talking about the electricity, the furnace, the insulation, the air conditioning system … what?
The answer is, Yes! We’re talking about all of that and more. Home energy efficiency is about thinking of the house as a whole system, one that conserves as much energy as possible. A key part of keeping a home energy efficient around the year is to maintain the heat envelope surrounding it. This means that during winter heat doesn’t escape, forcing the furnace or other heating system to work harder to replace it, and during summer heat doesn’t enter, putting extra pressure on the air conditioner.
You may not know if your house has a good envelope or not. But if you have trouble with winter drafts and stifling summer heat, it may be a good idea to contact us for air sealing in Fenton, MI to see that your house has a proper seal against temperature extremes. We especially recommend this for older homes, which were often constructed with inferior insulation and which may have developed air leaks over the years.
The Lowdown on Air Sealing
Air sealing isn’t a single task, but a combination of them. This is one of the reasons you want professionals to handle the job. They’ll know the right techniques to use to ensure your house ends up with a strong envelope.
With many homes, attic air sealing is the most important step. This is because the attic is the major location of heat loss and heat gain. In winter, heat rises and escapes through the top of the house unless the attic is well sealed. In summer, the sun on the rooftop raises the temperature inside the attic to boiling levels, sometimes above 130°F! Sufficient insulation traps this heat and prevents it from raising the temperature around the living spaces.
Caulking is an important tool for air sealing in other parts of the house. Our experts can find places around windows and outside doors, as well as in other spots of home, where air is able to escape. Caulking guns close up these air leaks without leaving noticeable traces.
We also offer weather-stripping service. Weather stripping around doors and windows prevents heat from entering and escaping. Older homes often have leaks around windows and doors, and professional weather-stripping closes these off without requiring major renovations.
Contact Us Today to Get Started
We advise anyone living in a home that’s more than 40 years old to call us to check on whether the house requires air sealing. If you’re experiencing hot and cold spots in your home, utility bills that are higher than you think they should be, or problems with ice dams are occurring the winter, you may also be receiving warning signs you need better air sealing. Whatever the trouble, we’ll get to the bottom of it. Our goal is your comfort and energy savings, and we won’t try to upsell you on products you don’t need.
First Choice Heating & Cooling: If Your Home Had a Voice, It Would Call First Choice!