Found 42 results for the keyword(s) ‘Air Sealing’

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  HOW MUCH MOISTURE DAMAGE CAN A LITTLE CRACK CAUSE?

  Little cracks in the bottom of the house let cold air in, and can raise your heating costs by as much as $600 a year. They also dry out the air in the house, resulting in dry throats and the needless purchase of humidifiers. Nothing too serious -- unless you don't like wasting money! Let's start...
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  Restoring Heritage Windows

  When Heritage Window Restoration becomes an energy efficient & cost effective alternative to new windows Most of us who have worked in older neighbourhoods have at one time or another thought about or dabbled in restoring old building components rather than ripping out and installing new...
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  What is an air tight electrical box?

  We all know that electrical boxes are the often the source of cold air drafts. They are equally the route by which warm moist air escapes from our houses. In fact, the National Research Council of Canada has calculated that up to 30 litres of water can pass through a single electrical box in one ...
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  How do you cover up an old chandelier electrical box?

  One viewer wanted to get rid of her centre room chandelier in favour of floor standing lamps. So just how do you cover that hole in the ceiling? First remove all the electrical connections and cap off each wire with a cap or wire connector. If two or three wires are already tied together, keep ...
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  Pot lights: fire hazards and ice dams

  John in Kleinburg, Ontario asked if he should remove insulation from around his pot lights. Actually it is necessary to take the question much further.   HEAT FROM TRADITIONAL POT LIGHTS Pot lights, or recessed lighting fixtures as they are properly called, do create a lot of heat and it is tr...
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  Tips to applying window shrink wraps for the winter.

  Shrink to fit winter windows are really great draft stoppers and energy savers for old windows and patio doors.   Plastic has almost no R-value Since plastic and glass have no real R-value, the dead air space created between the plastic and the window is as good as can be created with another ...
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  New addition; roof leak when it snows.

  We caught a consumer in the hardware store and he was asking about the leaking roof on his new addition in the Beaches area of Toronto. Often in that area, a back porch is converted into living space with what we call a "compact roof" -- a roof/ceiling assembly that is about one foot thick with i...
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  Insulating problems with historical buildings

  Hello Jon I am the chairman of a church committee with the task of raising money, and doing the admin. for the restoration at St Andrew United. My concern now is the proper procedure to fully insulate the Church. I am alright with the Attic as well as the crawl space, however I am pondering the...
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  Caulking indoors -- part of Air Sealing your home

  Caulking joints on the outside of the house will not save you energy and will not stop cold air drafts. That is because almost all sidings are vented specifically to allow the wind behind the siding to help keep the wall dry. If you do not have a modern sealed house-wrap all around your house und...
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  WHERE SHOULD I SEAL AND HOW?

  The smoke test described in the previous answer should be used to verify the presence of typical leaks and discover those peculiar to your own house. Before sealing, read the section on Ventilation to avoid any future condensation problems. The leaks high in the house are not necessarily the lar...