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The summer months mean that you’ll probably spend more time inside your house to get away from the scorching heat outside. With an air conditioner, you can undoubtedly avoid the sun and enjoy a cool and comfortable home. However, air conditioning systems also have disadvantages. Air conditioning systems consume a lot of power. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that you are paying more on your energy bills during the hot months. This becomes more apparent if you have an HVAC system that is running at suboptimal levels.
It is essential to maintain your cooling system yearly. This way, it performs efficiently at all times. Although the system might be in excellent shape, there might be air leakages or drafts around your home. Unfortunately, these can result in an inefficient cooling system.
When there are air leaks, cool air escapes outside, and hot air makes its way inside. Therefore, you will experience a spike in your monthly energy bills. Check if there are air leaks throughout your home so that you can ensure that your air conditioner works at a highly efficient level without any added energy costs. In this article, we discuss how to find air leaks to achieve more of an energy-efficient home.
How To Achieve An Energy Efficient Home
Conduct a thorough inspection around your house to look for air leaks. Begin with the air vents and ducts. Check other common areas for air leaks, such as doors, windows, plumbing entry points, ducts that pass through walls, electrical wirings, outlets, wall switch plates, insulation, fireplace chimneys, water heater vents, and other places across your ceilings, walls, and floors.
Use The Smoke Test To Find Drafts
A simple smoke test can assist you in finding air drafts around your house. It is an easy task that you can do yourself. First, close all the doors and windows. Don’t forget to switch off all fire-burning appliances like furnaces and turn on all exhaust vents in your bathrooms and kitchen. Doing so will create a negative pressure space so that the air outside is sucked indoors via a single opening. Light an incense stick and place it next to windows, doors, and other areas you suspect there might be leaks. If the smoke moves in a particular direction, check the site that’s in the opposite direction of the smoke. There might be a leak there.
Ask To Have A Blower Door Test Performed
If you suspect that you have low-efficiency levels at home, hire a reliable HVAC company to conduct an energy audit. A professional technician can do efficiency tests, such as the blower door test, that will determine where air can be leaking around your home that a DIY check might not be able to find.
Seal Your Home To Reduce Energy Cost And Increase Comfort
A common test that an energy auditor might do is the blower door test. It is a simple and effective test to help find drafts. To start, the professional will seal your home and attach a fan to a door frame. Once the fan is turned on, it will pull air inside and push it outdoors to achieve a lower air pressure inside. The fan is switched off, and a smoke stick is used to find the leaks and cracks effectively.
Once they have found the leaks, they will seal them up, so energy loss is prevented. Caulking is typically the solution that most homeowners and technicians use. It utilizes a caulking agent that is applied to all gaps or cracks to seal them. Another method is weatherstripping. This is installed along your windows and doors to prevent leaks. Thresholds can be adjusted to stop air leaks through gaps as well.
Adding insulation is another solution that should be considered. Some homes might have old, insufficient, or damaged insulation. If this is the case, they are no longer effective in keeping conditioned air inside. Keep in mind that insulation installation should never be done as a DIY project. It is best left in the hands of professionals. New insulation can help improve the energy efficiency in your home.
The Importance Of Checking Your Home For Air Leaks
Taking care of all leaks around your home will help lower your cooling costs this summer. Ensure that your HVAC system also receives regular maintenance so that it works at optimal efficiency. This way, your AC will not strain and will have a longer lifespan.
Make sure to do this task before the summer begins so that your home is ready for the hot season. A leak-free home means that it is cool, comfortable, and energy-efficient. Therefore, do not delay any tune-ups or repairs to avoid any hassle and discomfort from having an inefficient HVAC system. Hot, humid air not only feels sticky and uncomfortable but also promotes the growth of harmful contaminants that can cause adverse effects on your health and well-being.
Conclusion
Ensure that your cooling system receives regular checks and maintenance to have a summer-ready home. Check for any leaks, gaps, and cracks periodically as well. For expert assistance, do not hesitate to contact Tevis Energy. Our professionally certified technicians are equipped with extensive experience that ensures we only offer high-quality services.
Call Tevis Energy For Your Air Conditioning Requirements
Tevis Energy provides an excellent heating and cooling service in central Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. Our technicians can provide repairs, installations, HVAC tune-ups, and replacements. Each of the techs we hire has the experience and skills needed to service systems effectively.
Tevis Energy is dedicated to providing the most competitive costs in your local area. Your comfort, energy efficiency, and cooling costs can all be improved. If we find that you need a replacement system we can help you choose the right one for your budget and needs. Give Tevis Energy a call today to set up an appointment. Our in-home estimates are without charge.
You can click here to contact us now or call us at (410) 876-6800 to find out more!