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It may still be hot in New Jersey, but the end of the cooling season is in sight. It’s been a long summer, and to increase the efficiency of your air conditioner for its last weeks of operation and get prepared for cooler breezes, summer weatherization should be at the top of your end-of-summer home maintenance list.

Air leaks in your home make your air conditioner and furnace work extra hard to keep you comfortable. Air leaks not only reduce the efficiency of your cooling and heating systems but also lower your level of comfort. Perform these tasks by the end of the summer to lower your energy costs and ensure comfort for the rest of the summer and into the winter.

Doors and Windows

Doors and windows are the most common air leak sites.

  • Seal air leaks with caulk around the frames of doors and windows where they meet the wall.
  • Use stick-on weather stripping to seal between parts of doors and windows that move.
  • Install door sweeps on the bottoms of exterior doors.
  • Make sure your window screens are in good shape so that you can open your windows on nice days this autumn without letting bugs in.

Service Entrances

Pipes, wires, and vents that penetrate exterior walls often have gaps around them that allow air to infiltrate.

  • Apply expandable foam caulk to large gaps and regular silicone caulk to smaller gaps.
  • Seal from the inside of the home and the outside, if it’s accessible.
  • Install pre-cut foam sealing gaskets behind outlets and light switch plates on exterior walls.

Attic Insulation

The attic can reach 160 degrees in the summer. Inadequate insulation in the attic warms up your rooms in the summer and chills them in the winter.

  • Shore up attic insulation to a depth of 15 inches of R-38 insulation.
  • Seal around the attic hatch with weather stripping.
  • Inspect the attic vents for damage and obstructions.

For more expert advice about summer weatherization tasks that can save you money and increase your comfort, please feel free to contact us in New Jersey at Pipe Works Services

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