Find Air Leaks In Attic

Turn on your heat or air conditioning system so it s constantly blowing.

Find air leaks in attic.

You might also notice some patches of ice or frost. Most air leaks can be found around light fixtures plumbing pipes ventilation rafters chimneys and other areas. Know where common attic air leaks are located. In most homes however the most significant air leaks are hidden in the attic and basement.

Any small crack or gap in the attic can be a source of. Electrical connections for fixtures fans and outlets require a hole cutout in your ceiling drywall. Gather your supplies and suit up. But locating leaks can be difficult because they are often hidden under your insulation.

Step only on the joists or lay plywood across the. Each of these cutouts is a likely air leak. Use this map from energy star to learn where typical air leaks holes and gaps are located in the home. Sealing the ducts is easy once you find the leaks.

Close the attic access door or hatch behind you to maximize the effect. Climb into your attic. And just as you can feel the air from a leaky balloon you ll be able to confirm leaks in the attic by feeling the draft with your hand. From the attic side of your ceiling find the fixtures you noted.

While most of the air leaks in your attic are probably covered up by insulation you can detect these air leaks by looking for patches of dirty or dark insulation. These are the leaks that significantly raise your energy bill and make your house uncomfortable. You ll have to pull back existing insulation to find them. Air leaks also commonly occur at the edge of top plates which normally have a small gap of less than an inch between the plates and drywall.