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Next up on the RMI Guide is to seal large air leaks, cheap to do (mostly labor, minimal materials), costing a mere $ 10.77 per ton of carbon saved. In an old, pre-1945 house, the air leaks can add up to the equivalent of a hole in your wall 21 inches in diameter! Natural Resources Canada (NRC) says that in a house vintage 1946-80 the hole is 16 inches, and in a modern conventional home, 14 inches. When you think about it that way it becomes obvious that there is a lot of heat loss, it is like leaving a window open all winter.
NRC suggests that a simple way to find leaks is to inspect your house on a very cold day using a "draft detector"- a stick of incense, a thin piece of tissue, or a feather glued to a toothpick. (what they really want to say is a cigarette, but can't any more and neither can we) Go through your house, holding the draft detector near window and door frames, electrical outlets, baseboards and other possible leakage areas. (If you are doing a major retrofit, hire someone to do a blower door test where they pressurize the house and use an infrared camera to see where the warm air comes out)
Tips to fix leaks:
1. Weatherstrip and caulk windows and doors.
2. Apply plastic film over windows. (Kits are available at hardware stores, it shrinks to fit from the heat of a hair dryer. Cats destroy it in a matter of days)
3. Seal hidden openings into the attic, and caulk or foam electrical wiring openings, exhaust fan housing and where walls meet the ceiling.
4. Make the attic hatch airtight with weatherstripping.
5. Seal baseboards, electrical outlets and ducts.
6.Close up seldom-used fireplaces.
Difficulty level: Moderate
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