A Home Energy Team Affiliate

Save $29 Schedule Online Now!

phone icon904-268-8211

pointer

draft

Solutions for Drafty Rooms

Schedule an Energy AssessmentFind a Contractor

Problem:

Rooms in your home feel drafty. You're uncomfortable, and your energy bills are higher than necessary. The problem is cold air leaking into your house. It comes in through cracks and gaps around windows and doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures and even in corners of the walls and ceiling. To make matters worse, as cold air leaks in through these cracks, warm air is escaping through other cracks and gaps, which increases your energy bills. Use these recommendations to stop drafts and make your home more energy efficient.

Recommendations:

  • The best way to stop drafts, improve your comfort and save up to 20% on your heating and cooling costs is with air sealing. Fill cracks with caulk and add weather stripping to windows and doors. Attics, basements and crawl spaces often need lots of attention, and can usually benefit from added insulation. Use ENERGY STAR's DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating if you want to do some things yourself. For best results, hire an air sealing and insulation contractor.
  • A home energy audit will find all the air leaks in your home - including the ones you won't see with the naked eye - and many other ways to save energy, improve your comfort and safety. Schedule a home energy assessment today.
  • Blocked or disconnected ducts, or leaky ductwork can also cause discomfort. Have your heating and cooling contractor inspect your ducts to for leaks and to ensure proper air flow.
  • If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed when not in use to prevent your conditioned air from escaping though the chimney. Consider installing a chimney balloon to reduce drafts and improve energy efficiency.

Home Energy Problems & Solutions:

We were unaware of what was involved in an energy audit and your audior took the time to explain everything. We were impressed with the report which told us the areas in which we need to take action on. He never pressured us to use any particular contractors, he just suggested that we go to the HomeEnergyTeam web site to select contractors of our own choice. He did an excellent job and we HIGHLY recommend the Home Energy Team. We already have recommended them to several of our neighbors. Again, EXCELLENT JOB!
Cynthia Simpson

The Home Energy Team auditor was very knowledgeable. I was VERY HAPPY with him. He promptly E-mailed my energy audit report to me and I will consider all of his recommendations.
Tom McGee

We found out that our house really has no energy problems. We are happy to know that we
Leslie Stewart

I was very satisfied with your energy auditor. He was very qualified and spent a great deal of time with me. The energy audit was very informative.
P.B.

The energy auditor was very good and helpful. He keeps in touch with me to answer any of my questions.
D.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. The auditor gave me some tips on attic insulation that were very helpful.
R.G.

I was very satisfied with my energy audit. Thank you!
R.S.

Very good service! I am going to replace the windows as the auditor had suggested.
D.W.

I was very happy with the energy audit. THANKS!
A. M.

My energy audit was very helpful. Joe Dempsey, your auditor, identified some structural problems that I was not aware of and explained to me why I need more insulation.
J. F.

The auditor was EXCELLENT! He spent ALOT of time with me. I am going to take 3 to 4 of his suggestions and correct these small items to save on my energy bills.
M. B.

The auditor did a GREAT JOB! He knew a lot about older homes, which we have. The report was very comprehensive. Thank you!
Vicki Nez/at

Your energy auditor was very nice and helpful. He answered all of our questions. We will recommend Home Energy Team to our friends and neighbors.
Katherine McCaffrey

The auditor did a TERRIFIC JOB! The report was FANTASTIC! I will make all the repairs he suggested. I will definitely recommend him to everyone I know that could benefit from a home energy audit.
Steve Sleigh, Chevy Chase

The energy auditor was very professional and I am very satisfied with both the energy audit and the report I received. I will be referring the Home Energy Team.
Tim Clary

I was very satisfied with the auditor. He was great and gave me some very valuable information. I will refer him to people I know who may need a home energy audit.
Willie Gantt

Your home energy audit proved to be very informative and helpful. I was not aware of the updraft created inside our walls because of the balloon framing construction. You said that that can cause heat to be pulled out of the house with the draft going up inside the walls and should be re-mediated. You also said that the attic insulation was insufficient and that fiberglass batts can leave spaces for around the edges causing heat loss and that it should have blown in insulation on top of what was there to seal the whole attic and increase the r factor. After going over your findings and telling me how you would fix the problems you told me how I could do it myself with stuff from the Home Center and for a quarter of the cost. Well, I did. I went into the basement and filled the bottom of the wall joist with unfaced insulation where they set on the sill plate. I then cut one inch foam board the size for each space and set it in and the sealed the edges of that with expanding foam as well as the sill plate to the foundation. I also sealed the sill plate to the foundation where the joist ran along it, as well as the top of those joist where it made contact with the subflooring. Next I went to the home center and rented their blown insulation machine and got ten bales of the insulation. I filled the attic on top of the batt insulation with about six inches giving another r-19 factor on top of the r-19 that was there. You said that the blown in would also help seal the heat loss around the edges of the batt. The work in the basement cost $144.00 and the work in the attic cost $328.00. After the 30% federal energy tax credit it will end up costing me about $330.00, which you said I should recover in savings in the first year. Thank You for all your advice and expertise. You made me aware of things I should consider and did.
Tommy Thompson