Detecting Air Leaks in your Tyler, TX Home

Air leaks are major hindrances in attaining optimum comfort. No matter how much adjustment you make on your HVAC system, if there are air leaks, you would not be able to get the optimum comfort inside your home. Good thing, there are easy tasks to detect air leaks that you can do yourself. However, for professional and complete spotting of potential air leakages, you will need the help of our expert team at Maddox Residential and Commercial Services.

Best Ways to Find Residential Air Leaks

Test With Your Hands

It is easy to find air leaks in the winter season because of the big difference in the temperature outside and inside your home. The moment your hand detects cold air on these parts, expect that air leaks are present:

• Exterior Door. The slight cold air along the edges means that the seal between the doors needs to be tightened.
• Cold airflow in the window signifies the presence of gaps between the glass frames and window panes.
• Air Vents. Faulty air vents can allow cold air to enter your home.

Candle Testing

Light a candle and walk around your home, especially near light fixtures, outlets, windows, exterior doors and along the vents. You can identify air leaks if the flame suddenly becomes wobbly. This is due to the weak cold air that enters your home. As compared to the hand testing, using the candles to identify air leaks gives more accurate results.

Testing with Incense

Another effective method of identifying air leaks is using the incense. This, however, requires you to turn all sources of artificial air like your heating and cooling system and the fans in the kitchen and bathroom before the procedure starts. If you are ready, light a stick of incense and check for drafts by observing the upward direction of the smoke. If it blows horizontally or shifts to one direction or another, an air leak is present.

Test with Leak Detector

Leak detectors may cost more money but will sure give more accurate results. This handheld device with a light that changes colors when leaks are detected can be used for hot or cold days. The white light in the detector turns red when hot air leak is detected and blue for a cold one. If you doubt your expertise in testing air leaks in your Tyler, TX home, we recommend you leave the job to the experts. Give us a call at Maddox Residential and Commercial Services for professional air leak detection service.