With fall season cooling our temperatures down we know that winter will soon arrive. Now is the time to consider how you can warm your home more efficiently. Where it greatly helps to have your furnace or boiler inspected and serviced there are some additional areas that could use improvement. One area that is responsible for most of our heat waste is our doors and windows. NY NJ AC Connection will share some tips on how to seal doors and windows to prevent heat loss and poor efficiency of your home’s heating unit.
Air Leaks Around Windows & Door Frames
It is very common for a home to suffer air leaks from doors or windows, especially in older homes. To help be more energy efficient you will want to seal your doors and windows. Your first step is to check for leaks to know what doors or windows need to be repaired. One simple method is to feel with your hand for any cool air coming inside your home. If you can feel the air rushing inside, this is evidence of a sizable gap. Another test is if you can’t feel the air rushing, you can also light a match and blow it out near the window or door. Watch the direction of the smoke and see if it drifts toward the window or door. If both tests prove your windows and doors have leaks, you will want to repair them to prevent future heat waste.
Air Sealing Techniques; How to Seal a Window
Windows often leak around the window’s casement on the outside or inside of the window and sometimes both. You will need to reseal around the window’s casement to stop the leaking. You will only need some basic materials. Before you begin repairing the window, obtain a caulking glue tube and gun, a utility knife, and a scraping tool such as a putty knife. Start by scraping the old sealer or caulking away from the casement of the window. Also make sure that there isn’t any dirt or debris in or around the areas you will be caulking. With the utility knife, cut the end of the caulking tube at a 45-degree angle. Make sure to only cut about ¼ of an inch off of the caulking glue tube to prevent major messes. Some glue tubes need to be punctured down inside the applicator. If so, you can use a long nail. Put the tube in the glue gun and begin sealing around the window casement. Use your finger to smooth and push the glue into the gaps to seal the windows.
How to Stop Air from Leaking Around a Door
Doorways leading outside use weather stripping to seal the door when it is closed. However, door weather stripping often gets damaged or comes off. When this occurs, you will need to replace the door weather stripping to prevent future heat waste. There are different types of weather stripping. Some of them stick right on while others require them to be screwed in place. See what type your entry doors use and buy the correct weather stripping replacement. Most should come in standard sizes for doorways some may require you cut them to proper length. The adhesive weather stripping is recommended and can be used on any door and is the simplest one to install. If you’re not familiar with replacing weather stripping, the adhesive type is especially recommended. When repairing your weather stripping, you will need to remove the old. You may need to use a scraper. Next cut the adhesive weather stripping to the proper length. Remove the paper backing and stick it in the same place as the old weather stripping.
Furnace & Boiler Heating Inspections, Maintenance & More in Manhattan, New York
After you have repaired your windows and doors, you now have a worry-free winter where you can save on your heating bill and be comfortable. After you’ve repaired your windows and doors, contact NY NJ AC Connection. We can come and perform inspections and maintenance of your home heating system so you stay warm all winter long. Contact NY NJ AC Connection today!
