Do You Have Drafts in Your Home?

Now that colder temperatures have hit, fireplaces are coming to life. You may have noticed it’s warm and cozy throughout your home except for those one or two areas that seem to stay cold. The cause can be drafts creating chilly spots and leaking away the hot air you paid for. Locating the drafts can be a difficult first step, but once you have located the source repairing drafts is an easy process. Some solutions include replacing insulation, sealing cracks, adding weather stripping and replacing low-efficiency windows. The first place to check is your doors and windows. If it’s a cold day and your heat is on, you can effectively test for drafts just by moving your hand along the edges of each door and window seal. Next determine if there any areas that feel cold as you walk through your home. If your home has a pet door or a mail slot that can be another troublesome spot.  A great way test is to walk slowly throughout the home with a lit candle in your hand and your HVAC system turned off. If you notice the flame flickering, you know there is air movement in that spot. Finding the source of the air will be much simpler. Hardware stores also sell a draft detector tool. This device emits a thin, steady stream of odorless smoke that reacts more visibly when it comes into contact with moving air. If you’re ready to get serious, you have found drafts in your home it’s time to contact a HVAC expert  who can conduct a household energy audit. We hope you will keep us in mind. Give us a call today at (972) 446-COOL (2665) or find us online at spencerairconditioning.com. Spencer Air Conditioning and Heating has been serving your neighbors since 1960, and we are here to meet all of your HVAC needs. We can evaluate your system and provide you with information and options specifically for your home.