Is your home ready for the cooler weather?

Did you know that air leaks make up 30-40% of your energy bill?  Not only costing you more, but causing moisture buildup which can lead to mold.

At first thought, you may think of your doors and windows as the source, however they only contribute to about 10-15% of home air seepage.  Most times there are simple ways to improve efficiency without replacing windows. 

The easiest way to find out if your home my could use some tightening up is to have an energy audit.  This includes a blower door test completed.  This is a large fan that mounts into a frame of an exterior door.  The fan then pulls air from the house to depressurize it.  Once this is done they will take a smoke pencil around the home that will signal as to where air is escaping. 

After this procedure, you and the auditor can discuss the best approach to address the leaks.  Sealing up your home not only helps save you money on your energy bills, makes your home more comfortable. This will also help with your overall indoor air quality by reducing the possibility of mold.  All of these are good things!

You’ll find the common leak culprits tend to be outlets, ceiling fixtures, and plumbing pipes coming into the wall.  For more info you can visit www.energy.com and search “energy audit” or I would be glad to put you in touch with local companies can answer your questions.  Here’s to everyone staying warm and cozy as winter approaches.