How to Locate Indoor Air Leaks

September 10, 2024

Check for Air Leaks

Every fall and winter, sooner or later the topic manages to re-present itself: “How do we manage to pay less to heat our home THIS year?” But answer this truthfully: do you ever really do much about it other than adding an extra layer or two of clothing, taking greater care to turn down the thermostat before going to bed or leaving the house, and other similar steps?

Well, the good news is there ARE other ways to reduce your home heating costs, and finding where and how warm air is escaping – and then doing something to correct the problem – is way up there on the list. For starters, let’s look at four ways you can check for air leaks anytime the spirit moves you:

1. Light a candle. A lit wick on a candle or incense stick can point the way to even the best-hidden air leaks. Start by holding the lit candle near and around your doors and windows. If there’s no leak, the flame will remain vertical. If it suddenly turns right or left, you’ve spotted a leak in need of sealing.

2. Check for dirt spots on your ceilings and rugs plus those near air vents and registers. Any place air can enter your home also provides an open invitation to dust, dirt and grime.

3. Open then close your doors and windows onto a sheet of paper. If you can pull the paper out with little or no effort, guess what? Yep, another air leak.

4. For more comprehensive results, you can hire a professional heating company to conduct a blower door test which consists of depressurizing your house to find any existing air leaks. Another advanced process involves using an infrared camera to locate air leaks, including any inside electrical sockets and switches and other hidden areas of your home.

Remember this: most air leaks occur where two or more parts of your home meet up, such as a window to a sill, a door to a jamb, a ceiling to an attic, and a floor to a basement. Once you spot them, seal or insulate them and follow package directions in the process.

Here’s another way to heat your home for less: contact Conway Services to request our heating system cleaning and inspection service. By having this service performed once a year in the fall, you can look forward to greater comfort, fewer repairs, lower utility costs, and cleaner indoor air. Or, if you think your system might not be much longer for this world, contact us for a no-obligation in-home comfort analysis and new system quote.