In general, most of the energy wasted in heating and cooling a house is wasted due to air infiltration. This is simply cold air (in the winter) that gets into the house or heated air that gets out. Remember that any air that gets out of the house is replaced by unheated air from outside. Also, air infiltration makes the house feel drafty and cold. After doing the easy stuff, in our older homes, sealing the envelope of the house should be the next place to look to save significant amounts of energy and money.

Many of the projects that help to make our homes airtight may also be things that we need to do for maintenance and upkeep, not just for energy conservation. For example, replacing basement windows and the coal chute door with glass block will solve several maintenance and security problems – it will also reduce air infiltration around these windows. It’s hard to justify the job based on energy savings alone, but it can be worth it when everything is factored in.

Sealing the envelope of the house can take an amount of time and money, but will generally yield large savings in energy.

Take Inventory:
It’s helpful to do a walk-around inspection of the outside of the house. Make note of any places that air can leak into the house. Pay particular attention to windows, doors, basement and crawlspace openings and any other openings such as dryer vents, and plumbing or electrical fixtures going through the outside walls.

Specific things to look for are:
• Broken or missing primary windows
• Missing storm windows
• Calking missing from around doors, windows and storm frames
• Missing storm doors or storm doors that are missing glass panels
• Basement windows that leak air or coal chute that doesn’t close tightly
• Primary doors, particularly on rear and side entrances that are in poor shape and in need of replacement
• Missing or damaged weather-stripping around doors.
• Dryer vents, hose bibs and other openings that need caulk
• Damaged siding or trim
• Pet doors that don’t seal properly
• Mail slots that leak air

From the inside of the house, inspect for any openings that might leak air to the outside including:

• Fireplace flues (read more about this)
• Bathroom or Kitchen vents (need flaps that close tightly)
• Attic Access panels
• Pull down attic stairs
• Doors to attic access stairs (should be weather-stripped)
• Recessed light fixtures
• Any other hole in the ceiling
• Any openings in the basement that go outside including electrical service and hose bibs


Put together a plan to fix the things that need to be repaired. Prioritize those things that you can afford to fix. It is often helpful to do a temporary fix, such as temporarily repairing a basement door that eventually needs to be replaced.

Besides the above list of areas that should be on your inspection list, there are a few of topics that need more detailed attention:

Doors and Windows

Fireplaces


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