Little known draft proofing tips & tricks”

You can perform a simple air test on your home, the strategy involves creating  negative pressure  inside the home. This can be done by closing all the exterior  openings  paying special attention to doors, windows, pet doors. I suggest closing the furnace room door if possible for the test as older gas appliances are often the source of significant air leakage. It is important to turn off any combustion  appliances during the test to prevent possible combustion spillage or back drafting of exhaust gases.

See the window fan illustrated in the adjacent diagram.

A large window fan can be used sealed in an exterior opening and or turning  on all your exhaust equipment on high.

This would include dryer, bathroom fans, range hood fan. Use stick type incents to locate air leakage. A quick list of places to look, attic hatch, windows and doors, top floor electrical outlets /switches, fire place flues and masonry.

Crawl space areas have high  leakage potential, often interior chimney chases for furnaces or wood  stoves have a openings to the attic. In the book outlined below check out attic draft proofing.

Don’t forget to read our excellent free book called "Keeping the Heat In" available in our website resources This must have book is very user friendly approach to Insulation, Vapour Barrier, Draft Proofing with a little building science thrown in.

Subscribe to our monthly blog

Terry Fulljames

Home Builder

Building Inspector

Energy Advisor