What is air infiltration?

Air infiltration occurs when the outdoor air escapes into the house through holes in the shell of the building or envelope. This phenomenon often occurs due to wind, but also causes differences in air pressure between the interior and the exterior of the structure. The Shell building consists of basic structures such as wall and roof, as well as doors, windows and insulation. Most houses are freely designed and therefore contain hundreds of small cracks or holes where air can be infiltrated. The opposite of this effect is known as "air exfiltration" and occurs when conditioned air is from internal leaks outdoors through these same holes.

While some air infiltration is useful for maintaining adequate ventilation, too much home infiltration of home air can cause a number of problems for homeowners. This air is unconditional, which means it causes undesirable heating or cooling. This means that the air conditioning or furnaces must work harder to maintain a comfortable range. As these systemÉems work harder, often increasing accounts for public services. Uncontrolled air infiltration also brings dust and dirt from outside, so it is more difficult to keep home clean.

In order to minimize air infiltration, homeowners should seal cracks and other openings in the building. Caulk can be used inside and out to fill the holes in tiles or masonry or to seal a temporary gap between two different types of finishes. It also allows seals or expandable foam to fill large wall penetrations to which they usually occur, where tubes or cables enter the house. Insulation can also reduce air filtration, especially in the attic and climbing areas that are often poorly insulated.

On Windows and Doors there are a large amount of domestic air infiltration. Home owners can use seals or weather to seal between doors and frame to minimize KOncepty. The bottom of the door or sweep can be installed along the door base. Combined with the threshold, this eliminates many designs. It is also useful to seal the gap between doors or window frames and the surrounding wall, both on the inside and outside of the house,

Homeowners planning the main reconstruction can add air infiltration system to maintain undesirable air. This system includes building paper or moisture barriers combined with insulation and carefully sealed outer finishes. Those who want to reduce infiltration by existing walls can use the insulation of spray foam. This material is installed through small holes drilled in the wall and can block air infiltration without damaging the existing structure.