Common Sources of Air Leaks in Kansas City Homes

A Homeowner’s Guide to Effectively Finding Common Sources of Air Leaks in Kansas City, KS

Is your heated furnace air just dissipating even when you have sufficient insulation in place? Finding sources of air leaks can be time-consuming if you don’t have a plan to follow. In this blog and guide, we’ll give you details about eight popular locations to check.

 

When you need further assistance from certified Kansas City insulation professionals, Koala Insulation is here to help and answer any questions you may have about how to find air leaks on your property. Let’s recover your home’s energy efficiency together!

What Is an Air Leak?

Often referred to as air leakage or exfiltration. It describes an air-containing cavity, which isn’t completely sealed off to keep out exterior air. It’s best identified by uneven air movement in your home.  

 

Sometimes, people use this term interchangeably with drafts, but draft is exterior air finding its way into your home, also known as air infiltration.

How Do You Find Sources of Air Leaks in Kansas City, KS?

Ductwork

With proper care and maintenance, air ducts should last you up to 15 years, but it’s not uncommon to experience problems with them before that period. With annual duct cleaning services, you can avoid pests and allergen buildups. Ideally, the technicians take the time to help you inspect your system as well.

 

It’s not always easy for homeowners to effectively detect leaky ductwork. You can investigate the areas where the ductwork is accessible near your furnace. Hold your hands against the sections to see if you feel air. If so, a loose connection may be the culprit for your air leak. 

 

For a more thorough inspection, your HVAC technician should check the sections that are buried behind walls and ceilings. By fixing it sooner than later, you’ll have better chances of extending your ductwork’s lifespan, not to mention lower your energy bills.

Interior Walls and Ceilings

It’s hard to believe that your interior drywall and ceiling are common sources of air leaks when they look physically perfect to you. But it’s important to note that all types of walls are useless on their own in terms of energy efficiency unless they’re equipped with sufficient insulation materials. If there are no visible cracks and holes on your drywall, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any underlying issues. Either your walls and ceilings have suffered from internal damage that you yet need to detect and fix or the insulation and air sealing job weren’t completed properly. 

 

When you touch your interior walls, do they feel cold? If yes and there are no means for you to effectively look behind it, calling the insulation pros at Koala will help you quickly detect the sources of air leaks. We’ll use professional tools to measure energy loss and detect air movement throughout your home.

 

One major area that requires a detailed inspection is your basement and, if applicable, your garage and crawl spaces. Basements are probably the most moisture-prone areas in every home especially when it’s below grade. To minimize moisture damage, waterproofing your basement walls, windows and other sensitive areas is essential. Older homes with unconditioned basements (meaning they are not protected by a thermal barrier like in the main living area) may deal with many sources of air leaks and moisture problems. Also, their exterior wall insulation system may need a detailed inspection and probably a renewal.

Window

It’s very common for property owners to have insulated glass units (IGUs) which are high-quality double-pane units that effectively protect homes from the elements. For maximum efficiency, they need to be installed properly along with a healthy set of window frames. While designed to last between 15 and 20 years, it’s not unusual to experience problems about ten years in. Wear and tear is common once caulking beads wear off or wooden frames begin to crack and go unnoticed. 

 

Without immediate repairs and weather stripping, that area will become the perfect source of air leaks.

 

Perhaps not in your living area, but in your attic and basement, we highly recommend air sealing your windows with spray foam to make them completely airtight. However, if you experience persistent air leaks and your IGU window shows other signs of damage, a replacement window may solve the problem.

Doorway

One of the draftiest places in your home is probably your entryway, where people go in and out all the time. Whether you have a steel or solid wood door, they require periodic maintenance, such as repainting. The constant closing and opening of your door can deteriorate your door frame over time; hinges, bolts, and latches may become rusty. All these little nuisances can eventually become the sources for air leaks. 

 

Another major problem is when your area experiences shifting soil or your newly built home is finally settling into the foundation within a few years’ time. It’s not always hard to tell when home settlement occurs; as you may or may not encounter minor foundation cracks on your interior and exterior walls (if you do, please consider immediate repairs to prevent future problems with water damage!). Whether it’s soil movement or house settlement, it can misalign your door. 

 

If you notice that your door’s threshold is starting to look scratched or if you can see daylight shining through the cracks, you have a source of air leak right there. We recommend immediate repairs or replacing your door with a more energy efficient type, such as fiberglass. It has an insulating polyurethane foam core that protects you and your home. Your entryway will be more airtight than it has ever been.

Exhaust Fans and Vents

Whether it’s the exhaust fan in your bathroom or the range hood in your kitchen, these are also typical sources of air leaks and can be problematic when you’ve had poor installation services. You need to drill holes to install exhaust fan boxes, but you can also go overboard with the drilling and leave gaps behind. Covering them up with fancy trim or hiding them behind your kitchen cabinets won’t prevent any air leakage. It’s also important to note that your drywall needs to be sealed properly to the edges of your exhaust fan, so there are no gaps that allow air movement. 

 

But don’t worry if you need help finding air leaks in these units. Your team of experts at Koala will also go the extra mile to air seal your bathroom fan housing and seal the area around the damper on your external wall. There are surely many tiny areas that people wouldn’t normally think of! Ventilation systems help remove steam, odors, and help circulate fresh air, but who would know that they could also be possible sources of air leaks? 

Plumbing Connections and Entries

When you have my plumbing units in place, it’s fairly common that several units work in combination with one another, which means you may have a sump pump that connects with your French drains or a hose bib that connects with your indoor water supply line. 

This involves many drilling of holes and securing plumbing lines that connect to the outside of your home.

 

Wherever you have insulation installed, it’s likely you have plumbing penetrations that need to be sealed off properly. Ideally it’s insulated with foam tube insulation when it is in a non-heated area. Our technicians often find gaps around plumbing vents, and it’s essential that these gaps are sealed.  

Electrical Outlets

Have you ever checked whether your light switch or receptacle is airtight? Or have you unplugged your charger and felt how cold the device is? Some homeowners believe that applying foam gaskets around their electrical wall plates will do the job, but it doesn’t. It actually indicates an underlying issue that may concern the condition of your exterior wall insulation. Cold air will continue to penetrate your home and suck out heated air.

 

Other important outlets to check include your dryer vent and electrical outlets in your basement. Light fixtures on the ceilings can also be potential sources of air leaks. While spray foam is a high grade air sealing product that Koala also uses, we highly recommend a detailed inspection first to rule out any underlying problems. Either construction workers did a poor installation job on the electrical outlets, or your wall insulation has deteriorated and needs to be replaced.

Fireplace

If you have a beautiful rustic wood burning fireplace, it can become a source of air leaks at some point when components of the fireplace are damaged or need a replacement. You might have a warped or worn out damper, condensation in the system, or a creosote buildup due to a lack of maintenance. Another typical problem homeowners experience with fireplaces is inadequate ventilation.

 

Owning a fireplace requires a high level of responsibility which includes correct use and care. For example, closing the fireplace door and chimney flue when no fire is on. Newer models have top-sealing dampers rather than the traditional throat damper. Top-sealing dampers for a tighter seal and stop air from escaping through your chimney flue when your fire isn’t burning. Therefore, with a healthy damper in place, you can rule your fireplace as one of the common sources of air leaks.

How Else Can You Know the Sources of Air Leaks in Kansas City, KS?

The best way is to hire your local insulation pros for a thorough inspection. It’s best to never rule out inherent problems that often go unnoticed. Some customers had unlicensed contractors that only fixed things based on what they saw but all the underlying problems were ignored. 

 

When our team arrived to check what was swept underneath the rug, we saw dirty, moldy insulation which means that air leaks and moisture were at play. Therefore, never rule out the worst-case scenario.

Koala Insulation: Management of Air Leaks in Kansas City, KS

We had our local customers tell us how it would take them hours to spot air leaks and drafts inside their homes. They would light incense sticks and hold them against areas they suspect is a potential source of air leak.

 

Detection and treatment of air leaks is second nature to our certified technicians; we use professional acoustic listening and thermal imaging devices to rapidly locate the trouble spots. And sometimes, our expertise and experience helps pinpoint which of the common areas your air leaks are located in.

 

With our professional air sealing services, you can rest assured that your indoor comfort and air quality remain stable and your energy efficiency is on top.

How We Air Seal

 

• Caulking: We use high-quality caulk to seal joints and seams. Most of the time caulk beads provide good adhesion, but we don’t rely on them as a permanent sealant. Both popular types like acrylic latex and polyurethane foam sealant only last about five years or less (especially in bathrooms and kitchens).
• Spray foam: Now we’re talking! If we can, and we know aesthetics are not a huge problem, we use spray foam insulation to eliminate sources of air leaks. They work ideally around windows, wall cavities, rim joists, and many other areas where you rely on an airtight seal. This is why we believe that sealing with SPF is crucial because it gets every nook and cranny. Once dealt with, you won’t have to worry about it again in the future.

 

We have also had customers who asked about weather stripping tapes and foams, which we believe do a steady job, but not in the long-term. You’ll have to remember to switch them out and also monitor them regularly. But in many cases, you may be experiencing some underlying issues that need to be addressed professionally.

Need Help Finding Sources of Air Leaks In Kansas City, KS?

Don’t let those sources of air leaks get the better of you; instead get professional air sealing services from your team of insulation pros at Koala Insulation. We specialize in high-quality insulation products, professional insulation installation with guaranteed workmanship, and outstanding customer service!

 

Grab your phone and dial 913-675-6722 today to speak with one of our friendly representatives! Find out how we can help make your home a more comfortable and energy efficient living space.