DIY Air Leak Detection

No matter how energy-efficient a home heating system is designed to be, you are going to be losing money if treated air is escaping your home. There are a number of methods you may use to check the air-tightness of your home…and professional services, too.

Find Leaks by Touch and Candlelight

The source of many air leaks and drafts can be found simply by feeling where air is colder. Touch-test windows and doors for air leaks. To confirm a leak, hold a candle near the closed door or window. If the flame flickers, there is an air leak.

Find Leaks by Electronic Detectors

There are also consumer air leak detectors on the market that can help you more accurately detect drafts. These devices use different colored lights (usually red and blue) to indicate that warm or cold air is circulating where it shouldn’t.

Find Leaks by Depressurizing Your Home

For more comprehensive testing, you can depressurize your home. Test for air leaks by turning off the furnace and closing all of the windows and exterior doors. Turn on exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchen. Light a candle or incense around windows, phone jacks, electrical outlets, baseboards, pipes or anywhere else where there may be access between the interior and exterior of your home. If smoke is pushed from or toward the intersection, you have a leak.

If none of these DIY testing methods work for you, or you simply do not have the time to conduct the tests, hire an HVAC contractor like R & R Heating & Air. We can help you find and fix leaks to make your home more air tight and more energy-efficient to heat and cool.