It’s that time of year when many families here in Eastern Maryland buy that fluffy spider web in bulk and stretch it across their landscaping, front door, railings, mantle, and more. It can be a fun and festive sight during the Halloween season, but what you don’t want to see are real spider webs in hidden areas around your house.
Spider webs are a sure sign that air leaks along the exterior of your home are letting exterior or crawlspace air into your home. Eek! Spiders build their webs where air is flowing to help them catch their next lunch. Think of them as nature’s air sealing inspectors! Learn more about the hazards of air leaks and what you can do to eliminate them for good.
Why Should I Be Worried About Air Leaks?
Air leaks often crop up in walls, along window and door frames, around recessed lighting, and in other trouble spots. These leaks let valuable heat escape your living spaces in the winter and let unwanted heat enter during the summer. This causes drafts and discomfort; forces your heating and cooling systems to work harder; and drives up your energy bills.
It isn’t just about efficiency and home comfort, either. As we’ve mentioned, air leaks also let spiders and unwanted pests infiltrate your home — along with outside contaminants like pollen, dirt, and excess humidity. And if your crawpsace hasn’t been sealed yet? Oh, boy. This harms your indoor air quality (IAQ), putting you and your family at increased risk of allergy and asthma like symptoms.
What Are the Signs of Air Leaks in My Home?
Many air leaks are hidden by insulation or are so small that they are hardly visible to the human eye. Some signs of air leakage to look out for include:
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Indoor drafts
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Rooms that are difficult to heat and cool
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Constantly running HVAC equipment
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High energy bills
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Moisture issues
How Do I Get Rid of Air Leaks?
Eliminating air leakage is crucial for improving home efficiency, boosting home comfort, protecting indoor air quality, and reducing your utility bills. The best way to get rid of air leaks is to schedule an air sealing service with an experienced insulation professional. Air sealing is the process of sealing up air leaks using airtight, water resistant spray foam.
If you’re a homeowner in Annapolis or elsewhere in Eastern Maryland, Total Home Performance is your local air sealing expert. We’ll begin the air sealing process by conducting a comprehensive home energy audit. The energy audit includes diagnostic testing such as a blower door test and thermal imaging to measure and pinpoint air leakage. Then, we’ll use high performance materials like spray foam to close up any holes, cracks, and gaps that are allowing air to leak in and out of your living spaces.
When done properly by our trained experts, you can expect greater indoor comfort, lower energy bills, and enhanced home durability.