No matter how powerful your furnace, your home could still be chilly if you’re losing heat through drafts. Blocking drafts in your home keeps you comfortable and saves money on your heating bill. Here are four ways to find those pesky drafts in your Plano, Texas, home.
Where to Look for Drafts
Before even trying to find drafts, it helps to know where to look. Common places where drafts can occur include window frames, door sills, electrical outlets, and vents. When searching for drafts, don’t forget to check places where utilities enter your house such as wire crossings, gas service entry, and phone lines.
Flashlight Method
Two people can find drafts using a flashlight. Turn off the lights and have one person shine the flashlight through spaces where you think there might be a draft. If the second person sees the light coming through the other side, you’ve found a gap that could be a draft.
Hand Method
Using the back of your hand to feel for drafts is simple and doesn’t require any special equipment. Checking for drafts this way is best during cold and windy weather, when you’re most likely to feel a difference between the inside temperature and the outside temperature.
Paper Method
This method helps you visually check for cracks that could be drafts. Take a crisp piece of paper and try to slide it into a space you suspect may be a draft. If the paper slides in easily, you most likely have just found a draft.
Using a dollar bill instead of a plain piece of paper can help you keep in mind how much drafts can cost you on your heating bill.
Incense Method
Light an incense stick and bring it close to where you think you may have a draft. If the smoke is sucked out or blown in, then you’ve confirmed you have a draft.
Talk to the professionals at Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating about home insulation and heating solutions — you can call us at 888-414-4655 to learn more about how we can fix those drafts.
