While you may think your home is sealed, hidden gaps around windows and doors could be driving up your electricity bills. These gaps, often found around window sashes and door frames, can be small but add up to significant air leaks.
A pair of front doors without proper weatherstripping can have a quarter-inch gap, equivalent to a 20-square-inch hole, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension. This can lead to increased heating and cooling costs.
Air Leaks and Energy Bills
The U.S. Department of Energy lists window and door edges as top spots for air leaks in a typical home. These leaks can cause your heater or air conditioner to work harder, increasing energy bills. Sealing these gaps can save homeowners an average of 15% on their heating and cooling bills.
The ENERGY STAR program estimates that sealing air leaks and adding insulation can lead to significant energy savings. This can be achieved without replacing expensive equipment, simply by closing gaps that were already there.
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Why Invisible Leaks Go Undetected
There are two reasons why these leaks may go undetected: air drifts in slow, sideways currents that are not easily felt, and the house pulls air in through the easiest path it can find, often without being noticed. Every time a bathroom fan or kitchen range hood is used, the house pulls air back in, which can lead to increased energy costs.
The Department of Energy suggests that weatherstripping and caulking can cut up to 10% off total energy bills. These fixes are also some of the fastest-paying-off home improvements, often paying for themselves in under a year.
For example, if your winter gas bill is $200 or your summer electric bill is $300, sealing gaps can lead to significant savings.
Finding Invisible Leaks
The Department of Energy has a free, low-tech test for finding air leaks using a stick of incense or a small lit candle. This test involves closing all outside doors and windows, turning off gas-burning appliances, and turning on exhaust fans to pull air out of the house.
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By slowly walking the incense stick or candle along the edge of every window and door, you can identify air leaks. Anywhere the smoke bends sideways or gets pulled toward the frame indicates a leak. Marking these spots with painter’s tape can help you seal them later.
This test can be completed in under an hour for a small house and can help you identify leaks in spots you may have thought were airtight. The top corners of window sashes, the side of the front door, and the bottom edge of outside doors are common culprits.
Sealing these leaks can be done with the right materials, such as V-strip weatherstripping, stick-on foam tape, or a door sweep. The total cost for most homes is between $20 and $40, and the total time is about an afternoon.
While this fix won’t address leaky air ducts or old single-pane windows, it can take care of moving edges and lead to significant energy savings. If your bills remain high after sealing gaps, it may be worth paying a professional to conduct a full energy audit.
