About this program:

Air sealing is often overlooked and undervalued compared to insulation, but in many cases it is just as effective in making a house more efficient, healthy, and comfortable. Many homeowners don’t even know what air sealing is, but that has to change – we all need to be air sealing ambassadors.

 

In this presentation, let’s go beyond the usual air sealing candidates of attic bypasses and dig into comprehensive air sealing, and find the targets that also have a great impact: blower-door-led air sealing, zone pressure diagnostics, effective interior window inserts, etc. We’ll also talk about the consequences of air sealing, why it’s important to know the impacts of making a house tighter in different zones. Finally, we’ll discuss air sealing a house to its limits: finding the threshold where mechanical ventilation is needed to keep a healthy and comfortable home.

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Learning Goals:

• How critical blower door testing is to finding and prioritizing air leaks in the house

• How to effectively communicate to homeowners how much air leakage there is in their home and how cost-effective it is to address them

• Air sealing is an ongoing process, it is not a one-and-done solution

• Air sealing opportunities with windows: there are a number of very cost-effective solutions to making an old leaky window into a tight and efficient window without spending thousands to replace them

• Where the “fresh air” really comes from when people think that ‘a house needs to breathe’

• The most effective air sealing options for attic hatches, pull-down stairs, and recessed lights

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About the Presenter:

Colin McCullough is the owner of All-Around Home Performance, specializing in home energy audits, comprehensive air sealing, and home performance testing. Colin worked as a home energy auditor for years in the MassSave program and for Efficiency Maine as a quality assurance inspector, he is also a building science trainer/proctor for Build Green Maine. He is currently renovating his 1915 home in Farmingdale to be a high-efficiency, net-zero house.

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Program Level:

Basic

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Content Area(s):

Air Sealing, High Performance Construction

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