Living Green

Saving Money

Your Home

    Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter can waste a lot of your energy dollars. One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside. You can save as much as 10% on your heating and cooling bill by reducing the air leaks in your home.

     First, test your home for air tightness. On a windy day, hold a lit incense stick
next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need caulking, sealing, or weatherstripping.

• Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air.

• Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets.

   Caulking is easy! Read and follow the instructions on the compound cartridge. Save yourself some headaches by remembering a few important tips:

• For good adhesion, clean all areas to be caulked. Remove any old caulk and paint, using a putty knife or a large screwdriver. Make sure the area is dry so you won't seal in moisture.

• Apply caulk to all joints in a window frame and the joint between the frame and the wall.

• Hold the gun at a consistent angle. Forty-five degrees is best for getting deep into the crack. You know you've got the right angle when the caulk is immediately forced into the crack as it comes out of the tube.

• Caulk in one straight continuous stream, if possible. Avoid stops and starts.

• Send caulk to the bottom of an opening to avoid bubbles.

• Make sure the caulk sticks to both sides of a crack or seam.

• Release the trigger before pulling the gun away to avoid applying too much caulking compound. A caulking gun with an automatic release makes this so much easier.

• If caulk oozes out of a crack, use a putty knife to push it back in.

• Don't skimp. If the caulk shrinks, reapply it to form a smooth bead that will seal the crack completely.

    Before applying new caulk, remove old caulk or paint residue remaining around a window using a putty knife, stiff brush, or special solvent. After old caulk is removed, new caulk can then be applied to all joints in the window frame and the joint between the frame and the wall.

    The best time to apply caulk is during dry weather when the outdoor temperature is above 45°F (7.2°C). Low humidity is important during application to prevent cracks from swelling with moisture. Warm temperatures are also necessary so the caulk will set properly and adhere to the surface. You can save as much as 10% on your heating and cooling bill by weatherproofing and reducing the air leaks in your home!