Winter Safety and Preparedness

Is Your House Leaking Hot Air?

During winter, an improperly sealed home can lead to cold nights and an empty wallet.

According to Houselogic.com, families spend an average of $350 per year on air that leaks in or out of the house through unintended cracks. If you're wondering if your home is leaking air, under-the-door drafts are just the beginning. Sneakier risk areas could be causing your chill.

From common weak spots to handy DIY tricks, here are our tips for properly air sealing your home this season. Let's start with a method that involves a large indoor fan.

The Blower Door Test

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a technician can provide an accurate measurement of the amount of air leakage in your home. A common technique is the Blower Door Test, which involves a large fan blowing air through the front door of your home. The test assesses leakage by seeing how much air it takes to keep the house at a controlled level of pressure. The more air required, the more leakage. Then, an infared camera can be used to spot where the leakage is coming from.

Visual Inspection

Without a Blower Door Test, there are still ways to go rogue and detect leaks yourself. The DOE recommends starting with areas of your home where two building materials meet, like exterior corners, outdoor water faucets and chimneys.

Inside the home, there are multiple areas inherently at risk. Check electrical outlets, attic hatches, door and window frames, air conditioners and phone lines for cracks. The DOE has a full list here.

Windows and doors are, as you may guess, very vulnerable to leaks. The DOE suggests doing a rattle test. Essentially, if you can rattle the door or window, they may be leaking air. That means it's time for a new layer of weatherstripping or caulking, or replacing them completely.

The Flashlight Test

Another way to manually spot leaks is the flashlight test, which requires two participants. One person shines the flashlight over all potential gaps while a partner observes the house from the outside in the same spots. Large cracks will show up as rays of light, though as the DOE will tell you, this isn't a great way to spot smaller ones.

The Dollar Test

Finally, there's the dollar test. This involves closing a door or window on a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar bill out without resistance, you're losing energy.