Air Sealing

Experts know the shell, or outer layer of your home, as a building envelope. Every building has one, and most buildings suffer occasionally from the effects of poor envelope performance.

You're probably reading this because you are experiencing 'envelope' problems with your home. These may be high energy bills, drafts, cold floors, humidity or mold, or even insect infestation.

You've come to the right place. All of those annoying discomforts and sometimes more serious issues such as ice build up on the roof, can be relieved by repairing the building envelope.

High Heating / Cooling Bills

Air leakage through gaps, cracks and holes in a typical house results in the waste of up to 40% of the energy you buy to keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Reducing this leakage not only helps reduce energy bills, it also reduces drafts and helps you keep more even temperatures throughout the house.

It's always a good time to think about sealing your home against the elements, but with the unstable cost of fuel, now is the perfect time to take action. Payback on air-sealing your home is many times greater than installing new windows.

Drafts, Uneven Temperatures

Cold rooms at the back of the house, or cold floors above an unheated garage, are often caused by a combination of air leakage and insufficient or inappropriate insulation. Checking heat distribution systems, sealing air leaks and insulating problem areas such as garage ceilings can usually restore enjoyable comfort levels.

Roof Ice Build-up

Sometimes known as ice dams, these giant icicles hanging from the eaves are not only dangerous to people walking underneath, they are often a sign of serious problems with the roof and/or in the attic.

In a well designed and constructed home, the attic has its own dry and cool environment, quite separate from the living space. If your attic is not isolated from the rest of the house with proper air sealing and insulation, it can become warm and moist. Warm attics can help melt the bottom layer of snow on the roof and the water runs down to the gutter where it refreezes. This is the beginning of an ice dam.

Mold and Mildew

High indoor humidity levels often cause condensation on cold surfaces such as windows. If moist air is allowed to get into the attic, more serious problems may arise, such as mold, mildew and rotting wood beams. Failed roofs and the potential for risks to family health such as respiratory difficulties and aggravated allergies can follow.

If mold already exists, it will need to be completely cleared up before taking action to prevent it happening again. Prevention is quite straightforward: isolate the attic from the living space with proper air sealing and insulation and reduce the sources of excess humidity.

Insects

Gaps, cracks, leaks and holes around windows and where walls meet floors and ceilings are opportunities for tiny insects, such as cluster flies and ladybugs, to come in from the outside. Air sealing these entry points can cure the problem, help you make your home more comfortable as well as contribute to lower energy bills.