What is Air Sealing?

Learn All About Air Sealing and Stack Effect with Green Domain-- Your Friendly Energy Efficiency Specialists.

By John Romansky, LEED AP, Green Domain Field Technician

Air sealing to reduce stack effect, may be terms that are not clearly understood by the average homeowner when compared to say, insulation.

So let me use an analogy:

Insulation can be compared to wearing a fleece. On a cold calm day you would most likely be comfortable just wearing the fleece but add a breeze and the air flow through the material will not hold the trapped heat in. Add a shell or wind breaker over that fleece and you are all comfy again because the air flow is stopped or reduced. Air sealing is like the addition of that shell to your home’s insulation.

Stack effect caused by pressure differences between the inside and outside of your home causes air to flow through it. The air finds its way through holes, cracks, and crevices around wiring, pipes, ducts, vents, flues, wall connections, drop soffits, attic hatches, recessed lights, etc. Although some of the cracks are very small, the cumulative area could be quite large - like leaving a window or door open 24/7. You need a certain amount of air exchange to control the build-up of indoor pollutants, for your water heater, boiler or furnace to work properly and to have a healthy home. But any excess air flow is stealing your heating and cooling dollars. After calculating the volume of your home and performing a blower door test we can measure the amount of excess air flow through your home. Air sealing methods performed by a BPI certified professional are confirmed by a blower door test once again after completion. This can quantify the amount of air flow reduction and energy is no longer wasted.


If you have ever felt drafts in your home on a cold and windy winter's day, you have felt the result of stack effect. If so, please give Green Domain a call to schedule a green analysis today. It will be the best $125 you have ever invested. Call today at (908) 534-6464

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