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 Mobile ViewINSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT ACOUSTICAL SEALANT CHOICES AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE AIR SEALING STRATEGIES ANIMAL ALLERGENS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS FLOORING HAZARD REDUCTION ASBESTOS-FREE INSULATION MATERIALS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings ASBESTOS LIST of PRODUCTS ASBESTOS PHOTO GUIDE to Materials ASBESTOS REMOVAL, Wetting Guidelines ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & MOLD BATHROOM VENTILATION BASEMENT LEAKS, INSPECT FOR BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BASEMENT LEAKS, INSPECT FOR BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BATH & KITCHEN DESIGN GUIDE BATHROOM VENTILATION BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE Best Interior Finish Practices BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLOWN-IN INSULATION BOOKSTORE - INTERIORS BRICK LINED WALLS BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION BRICK VENEER WALL Loose, Bulged BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE CACTUS FUNGI / MOLD CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS CARPET & other STAIN TESTS CARPET TEST PROCEDURE CABINETS & COUNTERTOPS CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY CARPETING, SELECTION & INSTALLATION CARPETS & PADDING ODORS IN buildings CASEWORK, CABINETS, SHELVING INSTALLATION CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION CRAWL SPACES CONDENSATION or SWEATING PIPES, TANKS CONDENSATION on WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings AIR CHANGE RATE ACH HEAT SAVINGS AIR LEAK SEALING PROCEDURE AQUASTAT OPTIMAL SETTINGS ENERGY AUDIT - How to Use a Free One ENERGY SAVINGS MAXIMIZE RETURNS ON ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS ENERGY STAR PROGRAM ENERGY USE MONITORING HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HIGH MASS TRADEOFFS, HEATING vs COOLING HOUSE DOCTOR, how-to be TIMERS for ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY FIBERGLASS INSULATION FIBERGLASS HAZARDS FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOL FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FOOTING & FOUNDATION DRAINS FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FRENCH DRAINS FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES FRAMING METAL STUD PERFORMANCE FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING FROST HEAVES, FOUNDATION, SLAB GREENHOUSE DESIGN for SOLAR HEATING GREENHOUSE / SUNSPACE GLARE HEAT LOSS in buildings HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT LOSS RATE CALCULATIONS HOUSEWRAP INSTALLATION DETAILS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION CHOICES Insulation Air & Heat Leaks INSULATION FACT SHEET- DOE INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION LOCATION - WHERE TO PUT IT INSULATION LOCATION & QUANTITY for ATTICS INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENT FLOORS INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENT WALLS INSULATION LOCATION for BRICK or BLOCK WALL CAVITY INSULATION LOCATION for BRICK VENEER WALLS INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES INSULATION LOCATION for CATHEDRAL CEILINGS INSULATION LOCATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM INSULATION LOCATION for PASSIVE SOLAR FLOOR SLAB INSULATION LOCATION & EXTENT for SLABS INSULATION LOCATION for SOUND CONTROL INSULATION LOCATION for SUSPENDED PANELS INSULATION LOCATION for SWIMMING, INDOOR INSULATION MOLD INSULATION R-Values & Properties KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LOG HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOG HOME GUIDE MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD in FOAM INSULATION, RESISTANCE MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS MYCOPHOBIA, STAINS MISTAKEN for MOLD MYCOTOXIN EFFECTS of MOLD EXPOSURE Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODOR DIAGNOSIS CHECKLIST PASCAL CALCULATIONS RADIANT BARRIERS ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES ROT, TIMBER FRAME SOUND CONTROL in buildings STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS THERMAL MASS in buildings THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS TRIM, INTERIOR INSTALLATION TRUSS UPLIFT, ROOF TRUSSES, Floor & Roof VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VENTILATION in buildings VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES WALL FINISHES INTERIOR WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings WIND WASHING INSULATION At EAVES WINDOWS & DOORS ALUMINUM WINDOWS Best Practices Guide for Windows & Doors: CLIMATE, WINDOW CHOICES FOR CONDENSATION on WINDOWS & SKYLIGHTS Doors, Exterior, Energy Efficiency Guide Doors, Exterior Flashing Details Doors, Exterior, Frames DOORS, EXTERIOR, Selecting & Installing DOORS, INTERIOR FIBERGLASS WINDOWS GLASS vs HEAT MIRROR SOLAR GAIN/Loss HURRICANE, WIND, & STORM-Resistant WINDOWS LOW-E WINDOW GLAZING LOW-E VS QUAD-GLAZING LOW-E RETROFIT ADD-ON FILMS POLYCARBONATE GLAZING SITE BUILT DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS SKYLIGHTS, Guide to Choosing & Installing Skylight Condensation Problems Skylight Design Issues Skylight Energy Efficiency Skylight Installation Procedures SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR SKYLIGHT VENTILATION DETAILS SLIDING GLIDING WINDOW DEFECTS SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS SOLAR SHADES & SUNSCREENS STORM WINDOW INTERIOR STORM WINDOW PLASTIC CHOICES STORM WINDOW WEEP HOLES SUNGAIN, FILMS, LOW-E GLASS SUNSPACE GLAZING for SUNTANNING VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS VINYL WINDOWS VINYL / PVC WINDOW WARPING WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE WINDOW / DOOR AIR LEAK SEALING HOW TO WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT WINDOW TYPES - 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This article describes step by step procedures for sealing air leaks and gaps around building windows and doors, working from indoors to save energy costs and stop air leaks. Our page top photograph demonstrates a common point of air leakage around windows on a New York home constructed in the 1960's. Taking advantage of a project to install new interior window trim, we found, insulated, and sealed these 1/4" to 1/2" air gaps around the building's windows and doors. Here is how we did it. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Step by Step Guide to Sealing Air Leaks at Windows, Working from Inside a BuildingReaders should see AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION and also AIR BYPASS LEAKS, and be sure to read ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE. See BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION and see HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS for more sophisticated and accurate methods of detecting points of un-wanted building heat loss or heat gain. At THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS we describe other visual clues that can help spot points of significant air (and heat) leakage in buildings. Also see PASCAL CALCULATIONS where we describe air infiltration rate rules of thumb. Working from Indoors to Provide Air Sealing at Leaky Windows Can Cut Heating BillsWe took advantage of the plan to replace 1960's vintage painted clamshell interior window and door trim with new custom cut wood trim to also expose and seal gaps around the windows and doors of a Poughkeepsie New York home. Here we provide a step by step photographic guide to how we pulled trim, found gaps, and sealed them before installing new window trim. We include extra details on trimming back drywall at floor level to reduce the chances of future mold growth behind floor trim baseboards.
On a cold windy winter day, at leaky windows it is sometimes possible to actually feel cold air movement at building windows and doors. But more often, warm air is leaking out at some openings just as cold air is leaking in at others. So relying on your open hand to feel for and detect window air leaks is less obvious than using more sophisticated HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS. At ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY we include the air sealing results for an older, costly-to-heat home for which simply adding insulation didn't do the trick. But here we provide an example of an easy, low-cost, low tech energy savings step that is likely to benefit many older homes. The sequence of steps in this building air leak sealing project was simple and can be accomplished by most homeowners with only basic handyman skills and simple tools. Step 1 in Window & Door Air Leak Seal-Up - Remove the Old Trim BoardsOur photos below show the basic tools you'll need to remove window or door interior trim (below left) and how we use a putty knife and mini pry bar together to remove window trim without damaging it (below right).
From left to right you can see: The window glazing (and a view outdoors), parting strips that are holding the window glazing in place (painted brown) The window jamb frame itself - this is the frame into which the window glass was set. A gap between the window jam and surrounding drywall. [Not visible] the 2x lumber framing the window rough opening is behind the drywall and behind the piece of trim we're holding up. The wall side (previously hidden) of the clamshell window trim with a rusty finishing nail protruding at the top of the trim piece. Watch out: don't drop boards with nails on the floor where you'll step on a nail! And if working overhead, wear eye protection so you don't drop debris into your eyes. Step 2 in Window & Door Air Leak Sealing - Find the Air Gaps, Clean Out Debris
Find the gaps between the window or door jamb and the drywall or other wall covering. Large gaps, 3/16" to 1/4" or more will be filled with fiberglass insulation. Smaller gaps will be sealed with a sealant-caulk. Our second photo, below right, shows the beginning of caulking. Remove loose joint compound over gaps: In most cases it's easy to use a putty knife or the small pry bar to remove the joint compound that partly closes off some of these gaps, giving plenty of room to then insert our insulating material (photo below left) Inspect for existing insulation: Looking into the gap between jamb and framing, you will sometimes see a bit of insulation that was installed by someone working on the window or door trim from outside (photo below right) - this procedure can be accomplished from either indoors or outside.
Step 3 In Air Leak Sealing at Windows & Doors - Insulate & Seal GapsLarge window or door gaps are sealed with fiberglass as we demonstrate above, or you can also seal these gaps with with expanding foam insulation from a spray can. Using fiberglass, gently push fiberglass strips into the exposed gaps between the window or door jamb and the rough opening. (Photos above). Using expanding spray foam provides a superb seal against air leaks, but adds time to the job as you need to wait for the foam to expand and harden, then you'll need to cut off any excess protruding from the wall before you can proceed. If we're going to use fiberglass to fill large gaps around windows and doors we like to use pre-cut strips of fiberglass pipe wrap - this minimizes the ripping, cutting, and dust from chopping up fiberglass building insulation batts. Wear a dust mask, gloves, eye protection when working with fiberglass.
Our photo at below left shows how we insert fiberglass insulation into the gaps between window jamb and rough opening framing.
Watch out: a famous mistake made by enthusiastic amateur building air leak doctors is to pound or push too much insulation into the gaps around windows or doors. If you overdo it you will find that later you can't open or can't re-close your windows because you've bulged the window jamb. Also, over-packed fiberglass insulation may lose some of its R-value. Small window or door gaps are sealed with a sealant/caulk as we show in the photographs below.
Watch out: Don't mistake joint compound for insulation at window and door gaps: often you'll find joint compound partly closing off a large gap between the window jamb and nearby framing. That's because the installer simply shimmed the jamb to the framed rough opening where the jamb was being nailed. The rest of the space around the window jamb was simply left open. (In current construction practices good buildings seal this space with fiberglass insulation or with expanding foam insulation to make an airtight window or door installation.) Clean off excess sealant or caulk at the jamb/wall surfaces to leave a smooth surfaces. Otherwise protruding sealant may interfere with a neat trim installation by holding it off of the wall surface. Watch out: don't rush. Seal thoroughly, and then be sure your sealant has dried enough that it won't glue the new window trim in place. Otherwise, if you need to remove the trim again in the future, say to replace a fixed glass window at an opening, you may have to ruin your trim in the course of its removal. Tip: Extra Step to Reduce Future Water & Mold Damage to Drywall
Step 4 in Building Air Leak Seal-Up: Install new Window or Door Interior TrimIf you are re-using your old window trim, which saves time in cutting and fitting pieces, you'll have to have taken extra care not to damage the trim when you removed it. In our project the original intent was to install new, more attractive window and door trim, cut to fit.
Just as the open and leaky gaps around the building's windows had been hidden behind the old painted clamshell interior trim, the now-weather-tight seal around the same openings is hidden beneath the new trim. By air testing, temperature, or thermography would it be easy to know that these window openings have been sealed. But the occupants could tell the difference on the first cold windy winter day, when they no longer felt drafts around the windows.
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