Daily Handy Tips

Summary: Air gets into and out of our homes from a wide range of places. Many of these can be fixed with some simple do it yourself handiwork. Undertake any of these and you’ll start to realize instant energy savings. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, American homes lose energy from the following places (in decreasing order of importance): floors, ceilings and walls (31%), doors and windows (21%), heating/air condition ducts (15%), fireplaces (14%), plumbing penetrations (13%) and all others (6%). Recognize that these numbers may vary based on home type, age, geographical region and other factors.

It’s pretty simple to save on your energy bills by installing more efficient doors and windows or by replacing your insulation. These, of course are also some of the costlier ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency. There are also some very easy and less expensive ways to stop air leaks in your home.

You can save plenty on your energy costs by putting in energy efficient windows and doors as well as upgrading your insulation; but these are also expensive propositions. You can also stop air leaks with some easy, low to no-cost DIY projects using materials you probably have on hand already.

Reapply caulk (pushing the bead to ensure it gets into gaps). Be sure NOT to caulk window weep holes (small holes at the bottom of the window that allow for any condensation to drain). It’s best to apply the caulk when outdoor temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In most locales, this is when most building materials are at the midpoint of their contraction and expansion range.

Choose the type of caulk and color that is best suited to your home and any associated remodeling activity. But in most cases, a paintable, light-colored caulk is what you’ll want. What works for windows and doors, also applies to skylights and any other places where gaps may occur. This can include places where air conditioning, phone or electric lines enter your home. You can now find special cover plates that be placed over the once massive caulked or sealed areas. You’ll still need to seal these, but it looks a lot more attractive.

You should seal any and all air ducts in your attic, basement and crawl spaces. This is a little easier than doing your windows and doors - you can use duct tape here instead of caulk.

You should look for air leaks in your ductwork, especially in your basement, attic and crawlspaces. For this job you can use duct tape instead of caulk, making this a much easier and faster job. However, you can make this easier still and seal those leaks you can’t reach by using an aerosol sealer. These sealers will collect wherever they pass a leak, sealing them without you having to crawl around through your home trying to duct tape them all!

After seeing to your home’s ductwork, check your weather stripping. Weather stripping will wear down with age and develop gaps which air can flow through. Sometimes you may be able to fix these by just sliding in a new piece, but often you will have to remove the door or window in question and replace the weather stripping entirely.

Finally, you can seal leaks around electrical outlets and light switches, especially on outside walls. Make sure the electricity is off before you start and remove the plug covers and switch plates, feeling for air leaks. You can cover most of these using foam inserts and if needed, you can use some insulation or aerosol foam sealant. Wait until the sealant is in place, then feel for air leaks again.

These are all easy projects which can stop air leaks, make your home more energy efficient and save you quite a lot of money in energy bills. Best of all, the savings begin as soon as you complete these easy projects; you may wonder why on earth you didn’t do these projects sooner!