December 3, 2012

Stopping Drafts in Their Tracks


                We’ve touched on this a few times in the blog, but a big energy problem in the winter time is drafts. We hear constantly about windows and doors being big problems. They are, but there are other places as well, such as the attic, the dryer vent, and the chimney. Not only is letting heat out of your home dangerous for your utility bills, it can also be dangerous for the environment. Homes using fossil fuels account for 6% of the U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Remember to check out our website at www.nhssouthbuffalo.org to see if you’re eligible for weatherization. Read on to see what you can do yourself!

                We’ve talked about weather stripping, Draft Snakes, plastic sheeting on the windows, caulking cracks and adding extra insulation to keep your home from losing heat. You wouldn’t think there was much else you could do for your home. One of the things you can do if you have a chimney is use a Chimney Balloon. This is an inflated, well, balloon-like object that you fit into your chimney when you are not using your fireplace or woodstove. It keeps the cold air from coming into your home through the open chimney and it can stand up to the corrosive chemicals that are in your chimney. The first link at the bottom of the post demonstrates the use of one, as well as other tips on stopping drafts.
                Clothes dryer and exhaust ducts are also big problems when it comes to drafts and heat escaping the home. Often, the vent on the clothes dryer duct gets stuck open due to the lint from the dryer (which I suspect is melted socks that have gone missing). Now, first and foremost, I must say lint in the duct is dangerous and the cause of countless house fires each year. That being said, you should clean your duct regularly to avoid it getting stuck open or something even worse. Another thing you should do is switch to a different vent seal. This one opens when the dryer is running only, and closes when it is not.
                Attic stairs and other access hatches (think crawl space) create another area of heat loss and drafts in the house. Remember in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation when Clark Griswold gets trapped in the attic and has to wear all those old lady clothes? To prevent drafts coming down from your attic, an easy solution is getting an attic stair cover. It’s insulated and can be custom to your stairs’ hatch size. Again, the video in the first link demonstrates it.