How to find and seal attic air leaks 1.
How to detact air leaks in attic.
Climb into your attic.
When standing under your attic look at the ceiling and check where your light fixtures and fans are located.
Lights and fans require electricity to function therefore holes are cut into your ceiling s drywall.
And if ducts leak you could be losing as much as 30 percent of the energy your hvac equipment produces through those air leaks.
Start by looking.
Get your supplies together and have a plan.
Step only on the joists or lay plywood across the joists to allow you to move safely through your.
Light a candle and walk around your house to places that you think may have.
Use the hand test to find air leaks.
From the attic side of your ceiling find the fixtures you noted.
These cutouts can leak small amounts of air if they are not sealed properly.
Leakage on the return side means hot air from your attic is getting sucked into your ductwork.
Ducts that leak into the attic area are also a serious problem.
For a thorough and accurate measurement of air leakage in your home hire a qualified technician to conduct an energy audit particularly a blower door test.
Air leaks also commonly occur at the edge of top plates which normally have a small gap of less than an inch between the plates and drywall.
Find smaller leaks with the candle test.
Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of.
A blower door test which depressurizes a home can reveal the location of many leaks.
Broken seals at vents coming into or going out of the home can spill conditioned air into wall cavities or under the floor.
Here are the solutions we recommend if you have recessed can lights protruding into your attic.
How to find air leaks from below your attic check the ceilings and note the locations of all light fixtures ceiling fans and electrical outlets.
And the more air your ducts suck in from your attic the less air it needs to suck in from inside your home.
On a cold day with the heat on inside your home place your hand around the.
Most air leaks can be found around light fixtures plumbing pipes.
Turn on your heat or air conditioning system so it s constantly blowing.
On the other side the supply side it exhales conditioned air back into your home.
Replace incandescent bulbs with cooler operating compact fluorescent bulbs.
Usually air leaks occur in these spaces.
Replace your old recessed lights with air tight insulated can models available at home centers and lighting stores.
A complete energy assessment will also help determine areas in your home that need more insulation.
Never walk on exposed ceiling or insulation as you could potentially fall.
Know where common attic air leaks are located.