The truth is, your windows and doors may be taking a bad rap. The most common cause of drafts is lack of insulation and countless small leaks in your home that let cold air in and your warm air out.
Start by checking your attic, basement and crawl spaces for any cracks, gaps and openings where cold air may be coming through. You can also try a smoke test. On a windy day, shut all windows and doors, and turn off all appliances. Then hold a lit incense stick next to potential air leakage spots.
Inspect windows and doors for air leaks. See if you can rattle them, since movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks. You can usually seal these leaks by caulking or weatherstripping them.
You have a window that's not properly sealed. It's probably poor weather-stripping or other weather seal problems. We agree that drafts happen, right, nothing supernatural needed, just air moving. That has to be more likely than magic spooks.
Cold spots can result from various factors: Insulation Gaps or Issues: Poorly installed or damaged insulation allows heat to escape. Air Leaks: Leaks around windows, doors, or cracks in the building envelope allow cold air to enter and warm air to escape. Moisture Problems: Moisture build-up compromises insulation.
The most frequent cause of a drafty home is improper air sealing and leaks from your doors and windows, says Josh Lake, co-founder at Elephant Energy. “This is especially true in older homes where windows and doors can warp, creating gaps that allow cold air to leak in,” he says.
If you're looking for an extremely accurate way of finding drafts in your house, using a wind meter is your best bet. This tool will measure how much air is flowing in or out of specific areas in your home.
Most people call these air leaks "drafts." You may feel these drafts around windows and doors and think these leaks are your major source of wasted energy. In most homes, however, the most significant air leaks are hidden in the attic and basement.
Tips for Sealing Air Leaks
Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air. Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring comes through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets. Install foam gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on walls.
Use an air leak detector
If you're serious about finding the leaks in your home, using an air leak detector is one of the most accurate at-home tests. There are two main types: thermal leak detectors and ultrasonic leak detectors. Thermal leak detectors work by detecting temperature differences in the air.
You can call a professional heating and cooling specialist to perform an energy audit and find out the drafty places. You should also check outlets as many drafts can leak through them. So, you are done with your home leakage testing.
Use foam, metal or plastic draught strips (see below), or brush seals for sash windows. Fit brush or hinged-flap draught excluders, fitted along the bottom of the doors (see over). Cut draughts with 'snake' draught excluders (photo, right), or similar strips of material (see over).
The hand test can help in discovering large drafts coming from the holes around the doors or windows. To find out the air leak, you should place the hands across the edges of windows, doors, air vents and fans in every room of the house. If you feel air on your hand, then it indicates you have an air leak.
The national average cost to air seal a home is between $600 to $2,300, with most people paying around $1,450 to seal the interior and exterior walls in a 1,500 sq. ft. home. At the low end of the spectrum, you pay $200 to air seal the ductwork in a 1,500 sq.
Piece of paper test
Grab a single piece of paper, place it on the sill, and close the window, letting a bit of it stick out. If the paper can be easily removed without ripping, your solution isn't sealing tight. This little gap means air can sneak in, which means your windows are drafty.
Light a candle and hold it 2 inches from the windows and doors – Place it in different spots near windows and doors to see if it flickers. A flicker can reveal a draft you couldn't feel with your hand. Apply silicone caulk to any drafty spots and test them again with a flame to ensure they're sealed.
Draughts coming through small gaps in windows, doors, floorboards and even skirting boards can be hard to detect but just as important to draught-proof as bigger draught sources. This is why we stock the Smoke Pencil! The Smoke Pencil is an ingenious gadget for pinpointing air leaks and tracking down hard-to-find gaps.
Every home has air leaks—they're in your attic, along the foundation, and around plumbing and lighting fixtures. We can't emphasize this enough: If your house hasn't been professionally air sealed and insulated, it's likely this is one of the major reasons your house is so cold.