Stop the Air Leaks That Make Your Home Harder to Keep Comfortable.
Drafts, cold rooms, uneven temperatures and high energy use can all be affected by uncontrolled air moving in and out of the home.
Grand Traverse Insulation helps Northern Michigan homeowners identify and address air leakage in attics, crawl spaces and other parts of the building envelope where conditioned air may be escaping.
Signs Your Home May Have an Air Leakage Problem.
Air leakage is often invisible, but the symptoms it creates can be easy to notice throughout the home.
Noticeable Drafts
Air moving around trim, outlets, doors, floors or other parts of the home can be a sign that outside air is entering where it should not.
Rooms That Stay Cold
A room that is consistently colder than the rest of the house may be affected by air leakage, insulation or both.
Uneven Temperatures
Large temperature differences from room to room can be a clue that conditioned air is escaping or outside air is entering.
High Heating or Cooling Use
Air leakage can make the HVAC system work harder by allowing heated or cooled air to leave the building envelope.
Ice Dam Conditions
Warm air leaking into the attic can contribute to roof-deck warming and may be one factor in recurring ice-dam problems.
Cold Floors or Exterior Areas
Air movement around crawl spaces, rim areas and exterior assemblies can sometimes make floors and nearby living spaces feel uncomfortable.
Air Leakage and Insulation Problems Often Overlap.
A home can have plenty of insulation and still feel drafty if air is moving around or through it. GTI looks at the building envelope as a whole so the recommendation addresses the actual problem.
Some of the Biggest Air Leaks Aren't Where You'd Expect.
Air leakage often happens through hidden gaps and penetrations in the building envelope rather than through one obvious opening.
These areas can allow conditioned air to escape and outside air to enter, making the home harder to heat or cool consistently.
This Is Why Air Sealing Comes Before Simply Adding More Insulation.
Insulation slows heat transfer, but it does not necessarily stop air from moving through gaps. Identifying and sealing those leakage points can help the insulation strategy work more effectively.
Attic Penetrations
Wiring, plumbing, light fixtures, framing gaps and other openings can allow warm air to move between the living space and attic.
Rim & Floor Areas
Connections around floor systems and exterior walls can be common locations for unwanted air movement.
Crawl Spaces
Outside air and moisture entering an unsealed crawl space can influence floors and living areas above.
Utility Openings
Openings created for pipes, ducts, wiring and other utilities can become hidden pathways for air leakage.
Air Sealing Starts With Finding Where the Home Is Leaking.
GTI looks for the pathways allowing unwanted air movement before deciding where sealing or insulation improvements should be made.
Look at the Problem Areas
We start with the symptoms you're noticing and inspect the areas of the home most likely to be contributing.
Identify Leakage Paths
Attic penetrations, crawl spaces, floor assemblies and utility openings are reviewed for signs of unwanted air movement.
Recommend the Right Work
GTI can determine where air sealing makes sense and whether insulation or other improvements should be part of the plan.
Seal the Problem Areas
Once the scope is established, appropriate leakage points are sealed with the goal of creating a tighter, more comfortable building envelope.
Not Sure Where the Draft Is Actually Coming From?
You don't need to find it yourself. Tell GTI what you're experiencing and we'll help determine where to start looking.
Air Sealing Questions
Drafts and uneven temperatures are not always caused by insulation alone. Unwanted air movement can be a major part of the comfort problem.
Air sealing is the process of identifying and closing unwanted gaps and openings that allow air to move between the conditioned parts of a home and attics, crawl spaces or the outdoors.
Insulation is primarily intended to slow heat transfer. Some insulation materials also help control air movement, but traditional insulation does not automatically seal every gap or opening. Air sealing and insulation often work best together.
Common leakage areas can include attic penetrations, plumbing and electrical openings, framing connections, rim and floor areas, crawl spaces and other gaps in the building envelope.
It may help when unwanted air leakage is contributing to the problem. Cold rooms can have several causes, so Grand Traverse Insulation evaluates the overall conditions before recommending air sealing or insulation work.
It can. Warm indoor air leaking into an attic may contribute to uneven roof temperatures and snow melt. Air leakage is one of several conditions Grand Traverse Insulation may look at when evaluating recurring ice dams.
You may need one, both or something different. Grand Traverse Insulation looks at the existing insulation, air leakage and the comfort problem you are experiencing before recommending the appropriate improvements.
Tired of Drafts and Rooms That Never Feel Right?
Grand Traverse Insulation helps Northern Michigan homeowners identify air leakage, insulation and building conditions that may be contributing to drafts, uneven temperatures and unnecessary heat loss.