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Whether you want to do your bit for the planet or you just want to cut down your electricity bill, ensuring your house isn’t leaking all that warmth outside is going to be good for your pocket, and good for the environment.
The Why
When the weather starts to cool and you’re just getting that little bit too chilled, it’s time to light the fire or turn up the heating. But it won’t do you any good if your windows or doors are open, will it? The same can be said for if you have a crack underneath your door or your windows aren’t sealed tight up against the cold outside.
The more that you have to heat your house, the more it’s going to cost you, and cost the environment. And if any measure of heat is making it outside, you’re going to have to heat your house just that little bit longer.
Some statistics show that you could save anywhere between 20 and 40 percent on your heating and cooling bills simply by ensuring that there is as little heat escaping the house as possible.
The How
Many of the air leaks in your house are entirely fixable without the help of a professional. All you’ll need is some caulking or foam insulation strips, and you can go find the leaks yourselves. Obvious places to start looking are around the windows and doors, though in older houses you might also want to look at some of the other joints that hold your house together.
One trick is to get a friend over a night, and shine a torch around the edge of doors and the like, and whatever light the friend sees making its way through to the outside is a place you need to fix.
Searching Google and YouTube for something along the lines of “how to fix air leaks” will provide you with enumerable other handy hints and tricks, and some very clear videos, to help save you and the environment. And in the end, it might require a visit from a professional, who’ll use his tools to see where all the leaks occur.
But for right now, get yourself some caulk or sealant and make sure you apply evenly and don’t apply too much, or you’ll end up calling the professional in to fix your job.
Image: Per Ola Wiberg ~ Powi