Most buildings, especially older ones, were never intended to be air tight. Consequently, most houses and apartment buildings are filled with large and small gaps that allow for air leakage. Some gaps are easy to find and fix, such as at windows and doors. Other gaps may be hidden or in out of the way places – such as your attic—and may be harder to fix. Energy audits usually reveal numerous air leakage points that the resident is not aware of. If you are a confident do-it-yourselfer, you may wish to tackle some of the air sealing jobs that go beyond caulking. If not, you will want to hire an air seal or insulation contractor.
If you would like to perform a visual audit of your home or apartment, the information below and in Insulate and Weatherize ( found in Publications) will be useful.
Beginner
Home Energy Leakage
This is a basic demonstration of how temperature (stack), wind and exhaust cause air leakage. You can appreciate why sealing up leaks in some locations is more important than others.
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Intermediate
Residential Air Leaks
An excellent source for consumer information on many topics including attic air leaks, indoor ventilation, caulking, weatherstripping, and ice dams. We recommend the “Air leaks” and “Attic air leaks and ice dams” sections. Read this or the Iowa booklet below before you get started air sealing.
Home Tightening, Insulation, and Ventilation Iowa Energy Center
An excellent source of consumer information on air sealing, insulation, and ventilation.
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Advanced
Guide to attic air sealing
A well-illustrated 47-page guide that thoroughly addresses attic air sealing and adding attic insulation. Ask your insulator if this he/she is following these methods.
Advanced Air Sealing: Structural Details
A well-illustrated examples of how to seal many different types of air leaks in frame construction.
Convective Loops and Air Leakage in Buildings
Photos and sketches that help locate air leakage hidden in walls, floors, and ceilings.