The Secret to an Airtight Home Saves Energy & Puts Money in Your Pocket

Your home could be costing you more money than you know, by letting valuable heat and air escape unseen through the exterior surfaces that form its shell or "envelop"—the walls, windows, doors, floors, ceilings and roof.

Specific leakage sites include the areas in and around pipes and plumbing. Heat and air can also seep out around electrical switches and outlets (especially on exterior walls), as well as through dropped ceilings above bathtubs and cabinets, fireplace dampers, attic access hatches, baseboard molding, and recessed lights and fans. Even missing plaster can be a culprit.

But by far the biggest energy losses occur through the windows and doors, accounting for almost one third of a home's total heat loss.  

Time for a Weatherization Audit

Now is the perfect time to make energy improvements to your home. If you don't want to pay a professional energy auditor or home inspector, you can find and fix energy leaks yourself by doing a quick visual inspection around your house. And because such a significant portion of heat is lost through windows and doors, it's a good idea to start with them.

The telltale signs of energy loss are obvious: daylight around a door or a window frame reveals the gaps and spaces that allow air to pass, and improperly fitting doors and windows will rattle easily.

The fastest, cheapest solution is to seal all window edges and cracks with caulk. Another quick fix is weather stripping. Weather strip around the entire outside of your doors, and make sure you have a tight seal when closed. You can also install door sweeps at the bottom of the doors. These products don't cost a lot, and easy to find at your local hardware or building supply. Chances are you'll save enough money on your electric or gas bill to pay for the materials.

If your windows or doors have cracked glass, missing putty, damaged frames, or locks that don't work, you are better off simply replacing them.

In fact, installing replacement windows or doors may be the wisest home improvement decision you can make right now. In addition to the energy savings and a $1500 tax credit on qualified windows (possible in 2009 and 2010), replacement windows can protect your home's resale value and curb appeal. The bottom line is your home won't be attractive to potential buyers if you have old, worn, inefficient windows that have to be painted every year.

I think the most important benefit you can't put a number on, is the increased comfort replacement windows provide. New windows just feel better: less drafty in the winter, cooler in the summer, quieter year-round, and generally more secure.

Friendly to Your Budget and Friendly to the Planet

An airtight home is an energy efficient home. From insulation to caulk to the $1,500 tax credit windows available today, don't forget to consider what impact weatherizing your home and living greener now will have on our environment.

You'll help reduce our carbon footprint, increase your real estate value, lower your heating bills, be more comfortable all year round, and have a home that is healthier and safer for your family.