Do you ever feel like no matter how high you crank the heat in the winter, your house is still drafty? Air penetration is cold, uncomfortable, and causes heating bills to soar.
Winter home comfort in Chicagoland is a challenge that many people have to deal with. It might feel impossible to track down a draft and even harder to fix. At ARC Insulation, we’ve got the answers you need. Learn how drafts work, why they appear in the first place, and how professional air sealing can provide a lasting solution that keeps your family and your wallet happy.
The Science Behind Drafts in a Home
Drafts are usually caused by negative pressure in the home. Higher-pressure air always flows to lower-pressure air, so ideally, you want your home’s interior pressure and the outdoor air pressure to be the same (also known as the neutral pressure plane). That way, climate-controlled air does not escape, and outdoor air does not enter.
Having slightly positive air pressure in your home is preferred in cold climates because it creates a barrier. What you really don’t want is negative air pressure in your home. When this happens, cold air will force its way in, creating drafts and forcing your HVAC system to run more.
So what’s one of the main causes of negative air pressure? Air leaks.
What Causes Air Leaks in a Home?
Air leaks are the Achilles heel of any building envelope. There are several main reasons why they appear:
1. Aging Construction
Homes naturally settle over time, creating movement in joists and foundations that cause openings to form. Building materials like sealants and flashing also deteriorate with age, creating air gaps in places like roof vents.
2. Physical and Structural Gaps
Poor building practices, storm damage, and natural settling can all create physical gaps in a home’s construction. These gaps can be commonly found at the sill plate in the foundation, utility entryways, and attic access points.
3. HVAC System Leaks
While HVAC leaks don’t create air gaps, they can exacerbate drafts. When supply-side ducts leak, they create negative pressure inside the home that sucks in cold, exterior air.
Fix Home Air Leaks in Winter with Professional Sealing
Drafts and air leaks allow cold air to penetrate the building envelope, resulting in the uneven temperatures homes often experience. The thermostat can struggle to maintain consistency, forcing your HVAC to work harder and drive up heating bills.
One of the best ways to fix cold drafts in Illinois is with air sealing. AeroBarrier is an innovative method that our team uses to accomplish this. We create positive pressure in the home with a blower door and spray a water-based, non-toxic sealant into the air. As air particles try to escape the home through the various cracks and holes it has, the sealant accumulates and seals any gaps.
In some situations, AeroBarrier isn’t the best option for a home. When that’s the case, attic air sealing provides the most benefit. With this method, spray foam is used to seal any gaps where building materials meet. Not only does this block air from entering and leaving, but it also adds insulation to the home.
Some of the air sealing benefits that homeowners in Chicagoland will enjoy from this service include:
- Far Fewer Drafts: With all air gaps sealed, exterior air struggles to enter the home, even if it’s negatively pressurized. Drafts become a discomfort of the past.
- Consistent Temperatures: Your home will feel consistently heated with fewer cold pockets. Pairing air sealing with an insulation upgrade enhances this benefit.
- Lower Heating Bills: The heat your HVAC system produces will last longer in the home and will no longer mix with cool, drafty air. Your furnace will run less, lowering your monthly bills.
Remove Drafts This Winter with Help from ARC Insulation
Over the past 30+ years, ARC Insulation has provided Chicagoland home performance solutions to over 30,000 residences. Our local and family-owned business is state-certified in weatherization assessments and contracting, Energy Star certified, and BPI-certified in building envelopes, insulation, and air sealing.
We treat our customers’ homes as a priority and have countless testimonials from locals who have trusted our expertise. Additionally, a majority of our services qualify for home energy rebate programs and various incentives from local utility companies like Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, and North Shore Gas. We’re dedicated to helping customers like you keep money in your pocket.
