Air Sealing

Air sealing offers a cost effective way to improve your home’s efficiency, health, and comfort, making it a crucial part of the insulation services we offer at Responsible House. Many homes throughout Waynesboro, Charlottesville, and surrounding areas suffer from significant air leaks—so many, in fact, that ENERGY STAR reports that in total they can add up to the equivalent of leaving a window open all year round.  

How Air Leaks Affect Your Home 

Warm air will always move to colder areas when given the chance, which means it will either escape or infiltrate your home when air leaks are present. Because warm air is less dense than cold air, it will often escape your home through your attic in the winter, while cold air will leak from your crawl space in the summer. 

This movement of heat and air will cause a phenomenon known as the stack or chimney effect. The conditioned air that escapes your home will be replaced with outside air, which can cause several issues, including:

• Indoor air quality issues
• Poor HVAC performance
• Inconsistent indoor temperatures
• Ice dams in the winter
• Moisture & mold problems  
• High energy bills    

The Benefits of Combining Air Sealing & Insulation 

We always recommend air sealing in tandem with insulation upgrades because these two services go hand in hand to improve your home’s performance. There are several whole-home benefits to combining these two essential services. 

At Responsible House, we install spray foam insulation in Central Virginia homes because it has both insulative and air sealing properties. This all-in-one product is proven to protect from air movement, all types of heat flow, and moisture. Spray foam insulation for air sealing offers several benefits, such as:

Thermal & Air Flow Control

While insulation alone can help prevent different types of heat transfer, it won’t stop air from entering or escaping your home, and vice-versa. However, when insulation and air sealing are completed together, your home will have complete protection from air movement as well as heat flow. 

Radiant Barrier

Most types of insulation don’t protect your home from radiant heat flow, like the sun’s rays. However, spray foam insulation can. Radiant barriers reflect heat rather than absorbing it, which prevents unwanted heat gain for your home throughout the summer and keeps it indoors during the winter.

Moisture Prevention

Vapor is often attached to the air here in Central Virginia and once it makes its way inside, it will reach a dew point and potentially cause damage to your insulation and home. When insulation and air sealing are combined, your home is protected from moisture, mold growth, and structural damage.  

Lower Energy Costs

When the inside of your home becomes vulnerable to fluctuating outdoor temperatures as the result of air leaks and insufficient insulation, your HVAC system will need to work harder to recoup the loss. By reducing the wear and tear on your furnace or air conditioner with air sealing and insulation, you’ll enjoy lower heating and cooling costs. 

Increased Comfort

Air leaks make your home prone to indoor drafts, cold spots, and other comfort issues. Insulation and air sealing tighten your building envelope, allowing conditioned air to stay inside, where it belongs. This will help your home feel more comfortable through every season of the year.  

Get Results Based on Building Science With Responsible House 

With nearly 30 years of experience in contracting and an extensive background in building science, we can help make your home more comfortable, energy efficient, and healthy. Many of our air sealing and insulation services are even eligible for tax credits and rebates, which can make upgrading your home more affordable.

Find out where your home could benefit from air sealing with a free energy assessment. Call 540-942-2061 or contact us online to get started.