Air sealing is the most cost-effective way to increase home comfort and energy efficiency. It is not rocket science; it’s building science. For every cubic foot of air that leaves through gaps and cracks in the building envelope, one cubic foot must enter to replace it, bringing with it dust, humidity, pollen, and other contaminants. This is the reason that all Energy Star or LEED-certified new houses are required to be relatively tight, as verified by a home energy audit.
Most homes have significant air leaks, according to ENERGY STAR. All the leaks, gaps, and cracks in the average home exterior are equivalent to leaving a window open all throughout the year. Just think of how much you would save on your heating bill by sealing up those cracks and gaps! Air leaks can also cause moisture issues in the home, degrading indoor air quality and the home’s structural durability.
The Fifth Fuel can use a blower door test in Northern Virginia and Metro Maryland homes to determine if air sealing is necessary for increasing home energy conservation, comfort, and indoor air quality. We are especially mindful of addressing air leak “hot spots,” where gaps are especially common. These include knee walls in the attic, top plates in stud wall cavities, recessed lighting, and pull down stairwells.
Gaps and cracks allow air to flow in and out of a home in an uncontrolled manner. Lack of control of where incoming air originates can create air quality issues in the home. Air coming up through a moist crawlspace, for example, may bring mold and dust mites into the home, while air entering from the garage may bring vehicle emissions into the home. Sealing these gaps helps prevent the infiltration of potentially contaminated air into the home.
When air infiltrates into the home, it can carry excessive moisture into the framing cavities, causing mold growth and house rot. Sealing such gaps and holes can boost home durability by preventing some serious future home maintenance issues.
To air seal a home, we use caulk and weatherization materials and apply spray foam insulation for larger gaps and cracks. Air sealing a home is one of the best ways to begin making a home more energy efficient and this service has some of the lowest upfront costs, compared to other energy efficiency upgrades. Combined with effective insulation in the attic to help prevent heat gain, air sealing is especially effective in boosting home savings and comfort.
The Fifth Fuel can air seal entire homes, from the attic to the basement or crawlspace, with great energy-saving results. We have helped many homeowners in Falls Church, Alexandria, Arlington, Mclean, and Fairfax, Virginia and Metro Maryland save money.
The Fifth Fuel is a locally-owned and operated company that has been serving Northern Virginia and Metro Maryland homeowners for 30 years. We have extensive experience boosting home energy efficiency for lower energy bills and greater home comfort.
I just want to take a minute to let you know the guys showed up on time yesterday, stayed late and did an awesome job! I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.
Please make sure the guys and all their supervisors know that I can’t thank you all enough for the superb job. I will be giving your name and number to everyone I know with the highest recommendation. And will call you back to look at my house.
No matter what time of the year it is, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better solution to enhancing home comfort and energy efficiency than by focusing on insulation. It’s often assumed that insulation is most effective during the winter months, but it acts the same way during the summer, keeping conditioned air inside and outside air from entering the home.
