It Is Time to Weatherize Your Home for the Winter

Online, October 14, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Before the cool fall evenings turn in to cold winter nights, homeowners should weatherize their homes to keep the cold air out and the warm, heated air in.

"Heating and cooling your living space accounts for the largest part of your annual utility costs," says David Kirk, President of Smart Sealed. "Inadequate home insulation and improperly sealed windows, vents and doors could lead to costly heat loss."

Taking these seven important steps to weatherize critical areas of a home before the first freeze could save hundreds of dollars per year.

1. As much as 52 percent of overall heat loss can come from walls and windows. Caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows and even wood trim around baseboards can help keep cold air out.
2. Some electrical outlets can let air in. Install gaskets around the outlets and fill voids with expanding foam.
3. Recessed lighting and can lights that penetrate attic space should be sealed around the edges. Be sure to install fire-rated insulation in the attic around these fixtures and maintain a distance of 3" air space between the fixture and the insulation (unless they are "IC rated" fixtures which allows no spacing) .
4. Air ducts can account for 15 percent of heat loss. Use fiber-reinforced mastic to seal ducting and make sure all duct runs are insulated.
5. Bathroom exhaust fans should be sealed properly with aluminum tape.
6. To prevent outside air from entering the house when the clothes dryer is not in use, install or replace damper.
7. Seal around all pipes and conduits that pass through the foundation wall and floors. Seal any cracks between concrete blocks.

Weatherization is a low cost and simple method of improving the energy efficiency of a home and will make it more comfortable year-round. "Having a well-sealed home literally pays for itself when done properly. While many weatherization solutions can be performed by the handy homeowner, utilizing the services of a professional who is specifically trained in weatherization practices will ensure the maximum efficiency and comfort benefit. At Smart Sealed, we use diagnostic testing, Blower Door & Forward Looking Infrared technology to identify where the leaks are or where insulation is missing or deficient to eliminate the guesswork," adds Kirk.

Smart Sealed provides BPI home energy audits and a variety of weatherization and insulation services. For more information on these and other weatherization tips, visit Smart Sealed at www.getsmartsealed.com.