Northeast Air Sealing - FAQ

Q	I have an older home. Aren’t leaks and drafts something that you just have to live
	with?
A	No. While older homes generally have more leaks, the construction methods used
	during that era present typical problems that are easily identifiable. The good
	news is that the homes that are the most energy inefficient are the ones that
	benefit the most from an air sealing upgrade.

Q	We are having a new home constructed for us. Is there something that we can do
	now to make it more comfortable and energy efficient once its completed?
A	Absolutely! Air sealing a home during new construction just before the standard
	insulation goes in is the most beneficial and inexpensive time to seal a home. Talk
	to your contractor and insist that he have air sealing done on your home.

Q	My home feels comfortable in general, but one room has an outside wall that is
	always cold in the winter and warm in the summer, yet, it doesn’t seem to be
	drafty. What do you think?
A	Energy loss doesn’t always have to be in the form of a draft or infiltration.
	Sometimes a wall cavity can have a leak to the outside, allowing cold or warm air
	to migrate through the insulation in a process known as convection. This now
	makes the surface temperature of the inside wall more like the outside, and in turn
	makes the living area uncomfortable.

Q	My basement is always cold and drafty in the winter. Does it really matter as long
	as I keep the door to the first floor closed?
A	Yes, more than people think. The basement plays an important part in the
	unwanted flow of air in a home because it is the lowest part of the home. As warm
	air tries to push up and out through openings in the upper areas in the home, it
	has to be replaced with new air usually from the basement. The most effective
	upgrades on a home include sealing the lowest and highest points in a home.

Q	I have always been told that a house shouldn’t be to tight, and that it is good for
	it to breathe. Is this true?
A	False. Houses don’t need to breathe, people do. Infiltration through a home is not
	healthy for the structure, the systems that condition it, or the occupants. By
	allowing air to migrate through the structure, it increases the possibility of damage
	caused by moisture condensing inside walls that could lead to mold growth or
	wood rot. It also puts a heavy load on the HVAC systems decreasing efficiency
	and increasing the cost to condition the home. Lastly, it allows contaminates to
	enter the home from the outside, like dust and pollen. That expensive filter you
	installed has to work extra hard and will need replacing much sooner.

Q	Will the occupants have enough air to breathe if the house is made tighter?
A	Absolutely! It is very unlikely that a home, especially an older home could be made
	so tight that it would cause breathing problems. In cases where the home is new
	and designed for minimal infiltration, intentional ventilation is added to put fresh air
	where it’s needed and in the correct amounts. This is done using a system that
	opens a duct from the outside into the HVAC system, controlled by a timer
	calculated for the number of people dwelling in the home.