Air Sealing Your Home Near Portland, Vancouver, Salem, Eugene, and Roseburg

We proudly offer our services all throughout Western Oregon and SW Washington, including Portland, Vancouver, Salem, Hillsboro, Keizer, Woodburn, Wilsonville, McMinnville, Tualatin, Newberg, Eugene, Roseburg, and more!

Stopping Leaks by Air Sealing Your Home in Western Oregon or Southwest Washington

Here are some handy tips to help you spot and eliminate the air leaks in your home that need air sealing treatments by Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver:

Understanding the “Stack Effect” – The laws of convection cause warm air in your house to rise. As it rises, it moves up through the attic, passing through dozens of cracks and exposed openings. As this air is lost, new air is pulled in from the crawl space, basement, and outside, only to be heated again and lost again. This cycle of air ex-filtrating from the top and infiltrating from the bottom is known as the “stack effect”.

Small Air Leaks Mean Big Money – When houses leak air, you’re left continuously paying to heat, cool, and dehumidify air from the outside. Air leaks are an enormous waste of energy, and they make it much more costly to keep your house comfortable.

Your Insulation Tells a Story – Dirt stains on fiberglass insulation are a clear sign of air leakage. It shows that the insulation is merely serving as a filter, trapping dirt and dust the same way a furnace filter would. If you see dirt-stained insulation, you can be sure that your house is leaking air!

Joints = Air Leaks – Because your house is made from thousands of pieces and parts connected with nails and screws, small gaps often exist where one part of your house connects to another. While a joint may be airtight when first installed, that may not be the case today. Wood can shrink, materials can expand or contract, and connections come loose. Leakage points can form anywhere — ones that should be sealed to save you money.

Contractors Create Air Leaks – Air leaks are built into the construction process as your house is being assembled. As soon as the framing crew finishes creating the house shell, another team of workers marches in to cut it apart for their specific purposes. Electricians, HVAC installers, and plumbers will drill and saw their way through floors, walls, and ceilings, creating channels for wires, heating ducts, water lines, and more. The holes that are created don’t compromise your home’s strength, but they do result in a network of leakage points that can let air move in and out.

Don’t Insulate Before Air Sealing – There are many air leaks in your house where heat can leak out of the conditioned space and into the attic. If you insulate without air sealing the surface first, the air will just leak right through the insulation. Air sealing should always be done before insulation is installed, and Josh Lowe’s Dr. Energy Saver provides both air sealing and insulation services.