You program your thermostat to properly adjust to climbing temperatures. You schedule regular maintenance on your HVAC unit. But your air conditioner still struggles to beat the heat in your Bath, Pennsylvania, home. Not to mention your utility bills keep going up. Seal your home’s thermal envelope, and take some pressure off your AC unit to boost its efficiency.
What Is a Thermal Envelope?
"Thermal envelope" is a technical term for everything that keeps the air inside your home where it belongs. Anything that separates indoor air from outdoor air is an aspect of your thermal envelope. That includes walls, windows, doors, floors, and even insulation. Your thermal envelope is the barrier protecting your home’s comfort and energy efficiency.
Breaches in Your Home’s Thermal Envelope
Your thermal envelope plays a significant role in your comfort, your home’s energy efficiency, and even your indoor air quality. Breaches can develop in your thermal envelope through no fault of your own. Maybe a storm loosened up some siding. Maybe expanding and contracting wood and metal have created a gap around your front door.
Whatever the cause, those breaches become air leaks where your conditioned air can escape your living space and warm air can enter. That transfer interferes with your HVAC system’s attempts to maintain comfort, straining the unit. Sealing your thermal envelope will help you improve your system’s lifespan, cut your utility costs, and improve your overall comfort.
Sealing the Thermal Envelope
Identify gaps in your thermal envelope by looking for excess dirt and dust around windows and doors or for light peeking through gaps. Seal breaches around your windows with fresh caulk and leaks around your doors with weatherstripping. You can further seal your envelope by adding insulation to unfinished areas of the home, such as your attic.
If you’re feeling handy this weekend, then sealing your home’s thermal envelope will help you fortify your home against the threats of outdoor air. For a professional hand improving your HVAC efficiency, call Sullivan Oil & Propane at (610) 810-3992.
Image provided by Shutterstock
