How to Find Air Leaks in Your Home

You will most often notice leaks in your home in the wintertime, as most of us are more sensitive to the cold. These leaks are typically noticed in the form of drafts around doors and windows, but can also show up around plumbing and HVAC ducts to the most sensitive homeowners. There are several sites in the home in which air can enter, and it doesn’t just enter the home in the winter! So how does a homeowner go about finding these leaks?

First, you need a way of finding them, and I have heard several different methods. Here are just a few:

1. Feel for the leaks.
You can simply feel for the leaks. This may not always be the most efficient method for finding the small leaks, but larger leaks can be found by doing nothing more than running your hand around the area that you suspect to be leaking. This is especially true on days when the temperature outside is drastically different than the inside.


2. Use a wet rags to wet your hand and then feel for the leaks around known locations.
I have never personally performed this method and don’t know how useful it actually is, but supposedly the water will help you feel for the temperature changes. Just don’t be fooled by the temperature of the water.

3. Use a candle or other smoke emitting device.
This is very similar to what the professionals do. I have seen several items used, including candles, cigarettes, cigars, and incense. With all of these, you must be careful of the burning end of the item - and this may not be the best for indoor air quality. Professionals will often use smoke-emitting devices that are made specifically for this and do not burn.

4. Have a professional find the leaks for you.
This may defeat the whole purpose of saving money by performing the task yourself, but you may find it beneficial to have a professional use their blower door to depressurize the home and help you find the leaks. Often, I can find leaks without the use of smoke by just feeling for them. You will find more leaks this way, but again, you must consider the cost. Some professionals will perform just a blower door test  without an energy audit for a reduced price.

Now that you know how to find the leaks, it helps to know where to start looking. Below is an image of where some common leaks are found in the home:

As you can see, most of the most of the leaks come from the basement and attic. These are two great locations to start! Here are some other areas to scan when you are looking for leaks in the home.

- Behind kneewalls (walls that separate the attic and living space like in a bonus room)
- Attic hatch
- Wiring holes
- Plumbing under sinks
- Bathroom fan vent
- Recessed lights
- Furnace flue or duct chaseway (the hollow box or wall feature that hides ducts)
- Basement rim joists (where the foundation meets the wood framing)
- Windows and doors

These are just a few sites, so take a look around and see what you may find. Next week, we'll begin covering how to seal these leak spots.

Use timers or motion sensors to turn off lights when not needed.

Motion sensors have become a common item on exterior flood lights, but they aren't often used in the home. People tend to leave lights on when they are not in the room; by installing motion sensors or timers in rooms such as the bathroom, storage rooms, garages and closets, you can save money and worry.

Have You Ever Seen a Home With Lungs? (Why Your House Doesn’t Have to Breathe)

Every day, I am presented with the argument that a home can not be sealed tight because it must breathe. A long time ago, a friend and colleague of mine answered this comment by asking,“Have you ever seen a house with lungs?” Of course, the answer to this is no, but many people still believe that their house must get fresh air to breathe.

What you must remember is that it is not the house that needs fresh air, but the occupants of the home. Also, you have to realize that everything we put in a house doesn’t need to be there, so we need to get it out. You may ask, “Isn’t this basically the same thing as the house breathing?” The answer to this is yes and no. Currently, many builders believe that fresh air needs to enter the home, but don't really care how or where. This can be a real energy buster for you if your home gets too leaky! What you want to do is control how much and where the fresh air enters - and let’s not forget about getting rid of the stale air.

You do this by creating a tight home that has few uncontrolled air leaks or air changes. Air changes are the number of times the air in your home is exchanged with fresh air over a given period of time. Typically, this is figured over an hour. Often times, air exchange rates are amplified for measurement purposes. This is done with a blower door that decreases the pressure in a home, and is usually measured at 50 Pascals. Most new homes that I see range between 5 and 8 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals (ACH50). However, there are the exceptions in which they have leakage below and above this range. I like to see homes around 3 ACH50, with controlled ventilation. The most efficient homes that I see are in this range and will typically have ERV’s or other means of air changing. (An ERV is an additional piece of equipment for your HVAC that can exchange and condition air.)

Once the home is tight, you need to get air in and air out. Building codes may state how much air you need to bring in and out of a home, so check there first! They may also limit the amount that can be brought in by natural means, such as leakage or passive ventilation. Once you have checked with someone who knows about the codes, you will want to get someone who is knowledgeable about exchange rates and how to achieve them. This is done by various means, and each has its own pros and cons. You may see the use of any of the following types or a combination of them:

1. Passive ventilation
This is ventilation that operates on natural forces and is most commonly seen in crawlspaces and attics; however, you may see it on exterior of walls as well. This is used to lower temperatures and humidity levels in these areas.

2. Spot ventilation
This is used to remove contaminants/stale air from a central location. An example of this is bathroom exhaust. Spot ventilation is very important to remove unwanted moisture in bathrooms and kitchens, but it can produce a negative pressure on the home. Just make sure you don’t go overboard on the size of the fan.

3. General Ventilation
This is simply the ventilation of the entire living space using fans. It may be broken down into sub categories or considered supply only or dilution ventilation, depending on the source. Dilution ventilation is achieved by only pumping in air to dilute stale air, and it can create a positive pressure on the home. The exhausting of air is not controlled. It can be achieved via a standalone unit or through the HVAC.

4. Exhaust Only Ventilation
Exhaust can be sub category of general ventilation, and it is achieved through exhausting of air only. This may seem like spot ventilation, but it is for the whole house and not just a certain location. It can be achieved through an exhaust fan in a central location, the HVAC unit, or through a bathroom fan that is designated to permanently stay on. This can cause a negative pressure on the home, because the intake of air is not controlled. A negative pressure can cause back drafting.

5. Balanced Ventilation
This is also called supply and exhaust ventilation. The air taken in will typically equal the air exhausted. This is often achieved with piece of equipment, such as an ERV or HRV. It keeps a balanced pressure in the home, and both sides of the air exchange are controlled and possibly conditioned to help lower heating and cooling loads.

There are several systems and variations on the ventilation types mentioned above. If you are building a home or just working to better your current one, talk to your contractor or someone knowledgeable about ventilation to work out a system that best fits your home, needs, and budget.

Install Energy Star Appliances

Since we are taking the time to talk about ventilation this week, I thought I would just mention Energy Star appliances. Many people will probably say that they already know about this, yet wouldn't understand its connection with ventilation. Many people don't realize that there are appliances and fixtures approved by Energy Star other than the typical dishwasher and refrigerators!

In respect to the topic on ventilation, there are Energy Star ventilation fans. When looking at a system that may be using one of these fans to provide ventilation, it is a good idea to have one that will save you energy.

So next time you’re looking for a new appliance or fixture, check to see if there is one that is Energy Star approved, because you just may be surprised by what you find!