For the third month in a row, your utility costs from the city of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, have increased and you’re ready to take your home’s energy efficiency into your own hands. One reason for your higher utility costs may be that your heated and cooled air is escaping your living space. You can take control of your energy efficiency by sealing your thermal envelope and keeping air where it belongs. Here’s how:
What Is a Thermal Envelope?
Your thermal envelope is everything in your home that separates the air inside your living space from the air outdoors. This includes doors, windows, walls, insulation, floors, ceilings, and your roof. When you have a tight thermal envelope, these elements of your home are properly sealed and keep your heated or cooled air from escaping.
Unfortunately, leaks can sometimes open in your thermal envelope, either around windows and doors, in the space between walls, or in areas of your home without sufficient insulation. These leaks reduce your comfort, but they also force your HVAC system to work harder to maintain your preferred temperature. That extra strain will wear down your heating and cooling system and increase your energy costs.
How to Seal Your Thermal Envelope
Taking a weekend to seal your thermal envelope can restore comfort and energy efficiency to your home. The first step in sealing your thermal envelope is to identify potential air leaks. Look for excess dirt and dust around windows and doors or for light bleeding into your home around these parts of your envelope. You can also look for light coming through gaps between walls or ceilings in unfinished areas like your attic.
Once you’ve identified leaks, you can seal your thermal envelope in a variety of ways. Seal leaks around windows with caulk and around doors with weatherstripping. You can seal leaks in your attic with expanding foam or by laying extra insulation.
Sealing your thermal envelope will not only give you a productive weekend project, but it will also help you build a more efficient and comfortable home. Although the team at Feistritzer Heating & Air Conditioning doesn’t offer weather sealing or insulation services, we can help improve your home’s energy efficiency in other ways. Call us today to learn how our HVAC maintenance services can help make your home more energy-efficient.
Image provided by Shutterstock