How To Find Drafts In House? Tutorial

Sometimes in the summer, each of us would be glad to feel a draft on a scorching day because it instantly cools down the body and helps to feel much better. However, therein lies its danger. Because of it, you can easily catch a cold and subsequently get very sick. So it is vital to know how to find drafts in the house.

Unfortunately, these days no home draft detector can accurately find the air path through your apartment. However, your body, eyesight, and a little resourcefulness can help you to detect air drafts in your home.

Read on to find out the best way to find the problem in your house, what tools you can use to do the procedure, and how your body can help you with this.

Finding The Source Of The Problem

In order to determine the source of the air problem, you need to do some tests. And only after that can you proceed to fix the issue.

Visual Test

Do a visual test. Thoroughly check the windows, how they are fixed, the window frames, and their general condition. Even a tiny crack can let air into the room and get you in trouble.

It is also important to check the doors and the gaps between the floor and the door. If you see that the bottom gap is too big and you notice the light, it means the space is too big and lets air into the room. Congratulations, your body helped you to find drafts in the house.

Body Test 

In this case, your body will be able to help you in detecting unwanted drafts. Simply stand near a door or window and check if the air moves through your body. If you feel cold air circulating near the place you are standing, you are definitely experiencing a home draft.

Fireplace

If you have a fireplace, you can check it out as well. Although the chimney is used for air intake, strong air currents should not be near it. If you feel that being near the fireplace is much colder for you, you should consider solving the air leak problem.

Candle Test

A candle can also be an excellent tool for air draft-proofing your house. Just light a candle and go to the door or window. If the candle flickers or goes out, you are dealing with a draft. However, remember that you should be very careful when using an open flame, as wooden doors or windows can catch fire from it.

Attic And Basement Test

Do a control check of the attic and or basement. In such rooms, most often, air problems can form earlier than it happens in all the places in the apartment due to the general neglect of these places. The cracks form most quickly exactly in the attic, and the basement and that leads to the infiltration of air.

If you feel a significant change in temperature and your feet are very cold, and you see the cracks in these areas of the house, your apartment has a problem. You have found the source of the draft in the room.

Problems With Electrical Sources

Sockets can be another source of the draft. Unwanted air can get precisely through them. If there are cracks or other damage in your walls, probably, you have found the source of your problem, and finally, you can stop drafts in the house.

HVAC Test

Also, it will not be superfluous to check the air ducts in the apartment. Home systems can also perform poorly and leak air into the apartment.

Solution To The Problem

To stop the draft in the house, you should take some measures. They will help you get rid of the problem successfully and make your home warm and fit for a happy life again.

To solve problems with windows and doors, you can:

• Buy special sealant. It is the best solution in the fight against drafts. In addition, it does not spoil the appearance of the door or window and is also easy to use. It is enough to squeeze the active substance onto the crack, and that’s it;
• Buy a gasket. This solution also helps to get rid of unwanted air in the house;
• Hang heavy curtains. They will prevent air from getting inside your home;
• Plant evergreen trees near the windows of your house if you have special permission to do this. They will prevent the wind from getting close to your windows, thereby protecting your home from the cold.

However, remember that you should choose a quality sealant that can be washed off with water, so you can correct all your mistakes if you have made any.

Fireplace

When you are not using the fireplace, you can close it with a special plug. It will prevent cold air from entering the house and protect you from colds.

Attics, Basements, And Sockets

The solution for attic and basement problems is also quite simple. After you have found drafts in the house, you need to make the thermal insulation inside the room. To do this, you can use styrofoam or floorboards. In addition, by properly isolating the room, you will also protect yourself from pests and insects.

The sealing method can also solve the problem with a draft in sockets or electrical appliances, but it is better to contact a specialist in this case. This must be done if you are bad at electronics and can harm yourself and your home.

HVAC System Solution

Air duct problems can be solved in pretty much the same way as a fireplace. During downtime, you can simply close all the air ducts at home. However, if you are faced with the fact that cold air still enters your home during the heating process, it is better to seek help from a professional.

A possible solution is to replace the air filters, as clogged filters can damage the HVAC system.

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