Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Reducing Your Energy Consumption This Winter By Draught Proofing Your House

By Caroline Jenkins


Our planet needs to be nurtured and cared for in order for its survival because it has been neglected for far too long. One way to do that is to reduce energy consumption and it is helpful not only to the planet but also to the individual consumer. Below is valuable information on reducing your energy bills this winter by draught proofing your home before the cold weather rolls around.

That said, even the smallest point of infiltration must be dealt with in order to achieve this, and so every area of the home must be carefully inspected to deal with each accordingly. An open flame from a lighted candle should help to determine any of these points of infiltration.

It is almost a surety at the electrical outlets that are placed in external walls allow heat loss and cause draughting. To resolve this issue simply invest in a foam sealant that is made for this purpose. Be careful in the way you use the product to avoid a messy application because it expands. Of course, turn off the main breaker for safety purposes.

Inspect every other point of entry in the home as well, such as all doors and windows and of course the garage door. There will be an effort involved in correcting these areas from air infiltration because it will be essential to remove all moldings around the frames in order to apply the foam sealant.

An outdoor inspection will also be necessary to uncover any compromised caulking around the windows and doors of the home. With time and weather, they can be damaged, shrunken or cracked allowing air to penetrate. Never caulk on top of another older layer, however because it is useless to do so. Scrape off the old and apply a new one.

The doors may also need added attention in the form of foam or rubber insulation strips. This is a quick and easy task for anyone no matter what their skill level. Simply clean the area and allow to dry. Then remove the backing slowly to expose only bits of the sticky side at a time to ensure perfect adherence.

Do not neglect any other areas like the dryer exhaust, for instance. More often than not, the solution here lies with a simple application of a beat of caulking around it.




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