How can I locate air leaks in my house without specialized equipment?
Answers:
May be worth it to have an energy auditor come by. SHould be less than $500 depending on where you are but their equipment will find all of the leaks and save you the cost of the audit in your first year of utility bills.
If you can't do that---holes and cracks are along the outside walls at the floor level; underneath your sinks where pipes go out, also around ceiling fixtures. Buy the outlet and wall plate gaskets at a home center, best few $ you can invest, as the outlets and switches have a big air loss. Weatherstrip your doors well. Insulate your attic, helps with heat as well as cold.
I work in energy conservation programs and have been an energy auditor. The first best thing to do is seal up cracks and holes, then the next is to insulate your attic. Greatest heat loss or heat gain is through your ceiling, even if it is very well sealed. Your windows are a culprit, as well, but are expensive to replace. As you seal with caulk, make sure and seal around the inside of those windows where they meet the wood or sheetrock or whatever is abutting them.
Other answers:
look for light. turn on all the lights. go outside after dark. anywhere you can see light you have air also.
look for light. turn on all the lights. go outside after dark. anywhere you can see light you have air also.
If at all possible replace the windows. I would think that you would be able to feel the draft when it is leaking air. Sorry but I cain't help much more than that.
You can use a candle to find moving air. Just hold it up around your windows and watch to see if the flame deflects if it does you have a leak there if not move to the next spot. It is time consuming but it is cheap. I would also assume that even if you get all or most of the leaks you are going to loose a lot of energy through the windows themselves.
by george i think Ive got it!! Go to home depot and get a case of the cheapest latex caulking. if your seals are white get white- i think they allow you to mix the colors (beige, tan, white, grey etc.) and go ahead and caulk all your base boards, window seals and doors. ( if your walls and windows look funny - you might have to touch up with paint- get a gallon to match walls and a pint to match windows) you may have to spend a little money , but, you need to cover your windows. I , too, have older alluminum windows, it makes a world of difference if you get thicker curtains. I bought material and made my own. Then i got some $5. curtain rods. I do know how expesive new windows are, too much for me to afford. also- you may have to get weather striping for your doors- That is usually the bigest loss. If you cover all your bases you wont have to look for leaks. Also- The insulation in your attic should be 1ft to 16". Is it? If not- go get you some of that Pink Panther stuff- It will cut your energy bill drastically. Im sure this will help- If not, Im sorry. It does cost alot to live- comfortably any ways
Might not be leaks as much as it is heat. EVERYBODY is getting high electric bills this summer. We put up storm windows a few windows at a time til we had the house done. m