# How to check for air gap..?



## SusanneX16 (Nov 4, 2016)

I have my grandmother with me who is an asthma patient can never withstand winter season. I have made all arrangements for her and finally I want to ensure that the windows and doors are airtight too. I’m not pretty sure as to how to check it professionally and I seek your advice to get it done in the right way.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

You dont really want air tight, especially if its a small room and even more so if youre using an open flame heater. You need air flow to replace the oxygen you breathe and burn.
Now stopping draughts, yes, thats very important.

But if its an older house without double glazing there is a lot of air movement through tiny gaps. Look up Adventitious air.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Many local energy providers can perform a free or low cost energy audit. They will use an infrared camera, or air flow detectors to locate leaks or spots that need additional insulation. PLEASE remember that you don't have to hire their contractors to correct these issues, you can do most of it yourself.

Once you have the report you should be able to fix the drafts with new weatherstripping, window film, or Good Stuff expanding foam.

I agree with Bob that you don't want it air tight.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

I would be careful of hiring a company to check the seal of your house. I worked for a home builder in Austin years ago. They would offer the new home owners a check of the seal of the houses then do all sorts of stuff to "seal" the house for them. They would install a device( which was actually a fan in the front door of the house. Turn it on and watch a gage that they had set up in the house to see if the pressure went up as the air was blown out of the house. No pressure change meant that the house had a leak and needed sealing. The home owners were charged for this "service".
I stood in a house one day after doing the sealing of a new house, as they ran the device in the front door.
The operator, checked the "pressure monitor" and declared the house to be all sealed up.
I walked over and looked up the chimney to see if they had sealed the flue, which of course they had not.
I ask the operator to explain how this worked to pressurize the house when the chimney was wide open.
He gave me a dirty look and told me to keep my mouth shut.
Since this pissed me off, I immediately pointed out the open chimney to the home owner
who ask the same question of the operator. He tried to give them a song and dance about how the thermos confection of the atmosphere dilated the.. well you can see how this went. By the way, I was fired the next day.
I considered going to the labor board, but decided that that would have me begging for a job that I didn't want.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Good luck. Sealing off a room will have pluses and minuses. Fully sealing a room means stale air unless you have a way to circulate fresh air into the room. 
I lived in a house in KY and had air movement from the outside under the brick window sills. Sealed it up and no more problems.
I have asthma and allergies. Winter is my best time of the year. Less humidity means more oxygen in the air up to the point of saturation plus no pollen. Hate hot weather!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Bushwhacker said:


> He gave me a dirty look and told me to keep my mouth shut.
> Since this pissed me off, I immediately pointed out the open chimney to the home owner
> who ask the same question of the operator. He tried to give them a song and dance about how the thermos confection of the atmosphere dilated the.. well you can see how this went. By the way, I was fired the next day.
> I considered going to the labor board, but decided that that would have me begging for a job that I didn't want.


Dave I hope you reported them to at least the BBB.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Hey, Susanne; you haven't filled out anything in your profile, so perfect example here, other members haven't a clue where you're posting from and what climate you're part of.
Huuuuge difference between say, Winnipeg, Canada, and Miami, Fl., in the Winter. Completely opposite conditions, both outdoors and indoors (never mind Australia!) 

More info please about what you're trying to control...relative humidity, dust, pollen, heat loss/gain, etc.
There's a LOT of knowledgeable members here; contractors, engineers,etc. Given the full story you're going to get a bunch of useful info. Having said that, I absolutely agree with the previous comments about living in a sealed bubble. Really bad idea.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Single pane windows will cool off air, draw that cool air down, and warm air from above to be cooled by the window. We replaced our old windows with aluminum frames with energy efficient windows (about $1800 total) and it really helped. You do need some sort of air flow. I prefer to have this input air come from the downwind side of the house. (Prevailing winds are generally from the west around here.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Susanne,

Here is a low budget suggestion about checking for drafts and air leakage. 

Get some Chinese incense sticks, and when it's a windy day outside, use the incense smoke to detect air leaks through the window and door seams. Just hold the smoking incense stick near (within a few inches of) a suspected air leak and then watching the smoke movement should make it easy to tell if there is an air leak. Smoke movement either toward a crack or away from a crack will be a good indication that air is leaking and that location needs attention. I agree with the others about not completely sealing off ALL air leaks. You want some air movement for good health, but most houses older than about 30 years aren't built very tight at all. The more leaks that you find and correct, the lower your heating and air conditioning bills will be too.

Please be careful when using the incense. Keep the burning end away from anything that can burn easily. We don't want you burning your house down while doing this.

Serve Chinese food after using the incense and everyone in the family should enjoy the effects more.

Charley


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## Tommy Law (May 29, 2016)

Justan Electricians opinion, but dont forget to check around any outlets, switches or fixtures that are on an exterior wall. New code requires a gasketed box to be installed in new work if existing you can usually remove te cover and use an expanding foam around the OUTSIDE of te box not in the space for device. I only stressed this due to earlier this year I was at a job responding to a request to replace receptacles I opened up the first device to find foam padding stuffed inside box. Timing was uncanny as it was beginning to spark and smolder as I was removing the cover.


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## SusanneX16 (Nov 4, 2016)

Thank you all for your valid suggestions...


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## jusiamchez112 (Dec 25, 2016)

A common use of the term "air gap" in home plumbing refers to a fixture that provides back-flow prevention for an installed dishwasher. This "air gap" is seen above the countertop as a small cylindrical fixture mounted parallel with the faucet. Below the countertop, the drain pipe of the dishwasher feeds the "top" of the air gap, and the "bottom" of the air gap is plumbed into the sink drain below the basket, or into a garbage disposal unit. When installed and maintained properly, the air gap works as described above, and prevents drain water from the sink from backing up into the dishwasher, possibly contaminating dishes.[2] Water flowing from the fixture into the sink indicates a need for maintenance or repairA common use of the term "air gap" in home plumbing refers to a fixture that provides back-flow prevention for an installed dishwasher. This "air gap" is seen above the countertop as a small cylindrical fixture mounted parallel with the faucet. Below the countertop, the drain pipe of the dishwasher feeds the "top" of the air gap, and the "bottom" of the air gap is plumbed into the sink drain below the basket, or into a garbage disposal unit. When installed and maintained properly, the air gap works as described above, and prevents drain water from the sink from backing up into the dishwasher, possibly contaminating dishes.Water flowing from the fixture into the sink indicates a need for maintenance or repair.


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