Operating Your Home: Sealing
When we are actively heating and cooling our homes, we want to limit the heat transfer between outside and in as much as possible. This is to ensure your home can operate as efficiently as possible and to reduce any fluctuations in temperature.
To limit this heat transfer, you may want to consider how you can better seal your home against the elements.
Doors
The first place to get to work is on your doors. You can seal your doors by applying an adhesive weather seal (available at your local hardware store) around the door frame and using a draught stopper at the foot of the door.
Sealing doors to the outside is the priority but it may also be worth sealing internal doors to help with the zoning of spaces.
Hot tip: Seal your mail slot if you have one that isn't being used.
Windows*
For casement or awning windows, i.e. they swing open and closed, you'll be able to seal around the frame with some adhesive weather seal tape.
Sliding windows are trickier to seal but you can still stick on some adhesive strips where the window seals closed.
To go one step further, you could update the glazing putty where the glass meets the frame or re-caulk where the frame meets the cladding.
Exhaust Fans and Ceiling Vents
Exhaust fans and ceiling vents are essentially big holes in your ceiling.
This isn't a problem when you're using them, but when you're not, they can provide a gateway for heat transfer.
To combat this you could consider installing a self-closing flap to your exhaust fan or purchasing some vent covers to close off your ceiling vents for periods of the year when they aren't in use.
Chimneys
Similarly, if your chimney is out of action, it could be sucking all your precious warm air up and out of the house.
If so, you should block the chimney using either a chimney damper or a sealing device such as a chimney balloon.
Just be careful of permanently sealing off your chimney as it may lead to moisture build up in the flue, and also stop you from taking advantage of your chimney's ventilation benefits in summer.
A Word of Warning!
When sealing our homes we’re essentially improving its airtightness. As such we must be mindful of moisture build up from condensation.
To combat this, make sure you use your bathroom exhaust fans and kitchen rangehoods and also open windows on days when the outside temperature is nice!