DRAFTS In Your Home

Did you know that drafts are one of the biggest causes of wasted energy in your home, and getting rid of them can reduce your overall consumption?

The below methods can help identify pesky drafts in your home:

1. Shut all windows, exterior doors, and fireplace flues, but leave all interior doors open.

2. Turn on all exhaust fans that blow air outside, i.e. your clothes dryer, bathroom fans, or stove vents.

3. Light an incense stick and pass it around the edges of common leak sites (electrical outlets, switch plates, door/window frames, attic hatches, vents, and pretty much anywhere else where two different materials meet).

Wherever the smoke wavers or is sucked out of or blown into the room, there is a potential draft. As you go through each room in your home, make note of the draft's location, and come back later to seal it up. A damp hand can also be used to locate leaks if you don't have incense handy — any drafts will feel cool to your skin.

Drafts can be fixed with caulking, weather stripping and or insulation depending on their location.