Weatherizing with Caulk :: How to Seal Your Home

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When I was first invited to take part in DAP’s Seal Your Home Blogger Challenge, I had a siding project underway, a brick project in the works (plus I was planning for at trip to Chicago for the Remodeling Show) –> I said… confidently, “No Problem!”  But truth, as I realize now, this may have been a little more like blind ambition (or ignorance).  The Challenge as it was expressed to me –>  “Prepare your home for winter using ONLY $100 of  DAP Products.”  Ha…well!

I mean … Woot! I was gonna get “Weatherized!” (Or as my building science friends might say –> “Air Sealed!” (Nope “Weatherized!” in fact works better.))  But . . . And . . .

Now let me say that for, idk, 98.9% of the US population, $100 of caulk is an awful lot of caulk.  But here, for me, @ Building Moxie — we’z gots a long way to go.  I mean — as I got down to business, to the business of the Challenge, I realized my hands we’re, well, pretty full.  Of course I saw all the “opportunities,” and yeah — all my unfinished projects were just there . . . taunting me.

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You Ask –> Why should I Weatherize My Home?

Answer:

Properly sealing and insulating a home can save money on heating and cooling bills, and it also conserves energy. Weatherization reduces energy consumption and improves energy efficiency, thereby lowering the cost of monthly energy bills. (In addition to energy savings benefits, sealing cracks and gaps can help to create aesthetically pleasing surfaces with straight, clean lines, while eliminate openings for insects to enter the home.) Simply by sealing and insulating a home properly, homeowners can save up to 20% on their heating and cooling bills.

You Ask –> What are examples of Weatherization Projects?

Answer:

Common weatherization projects include sealing cracks, gaps and holes, particularly around doors, windows, pipes, vents and wiring that may penetrate the ceiling or floor, and other areas with a high potential for element exposure. Sealing outdoor penetrations are also common home weatherizing projects.  (Oh…. and I got a few of those.)

You Ask –> Is Weatherization Expensive?

Answer:

While weatherization projects can vary in cost, sealing windows and doors and other gaps and cracks around the home is one of the most affordable projects homeowners can complete to protect their homes from seasonal elements and reduce energy costs. (For example, to seal a couple of windows with caulk can cost as little as $20 (<< a modest estimate).)

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So . . .  with that said, and by that thinking, a $100 should have bought me, well, an awful lot of weatherization.  Right?  Right.  Well . . . truth —  I burned through my $100 and haven’t tackled not one of those “inside” items pictured above.  The gaps that appear on the inside of my house — still there.  But my brick project is caulked (almost, and a post on this hopefully soon), my siding is done (NOT) is caulked (almost, and really only about 3 more sides of the house to address… uggh! next summer).

Fortunately with weatherization, as it is, it is NOT an all or nothing deal.  I feel like I took some big steps forward with my $100, and you could too . . . probably with a much smaller investment (remember that 98.9%).  Even caulking a few windows or sealing a few gaps is a good step towards weatherization – an ongoing process, and OK, yeah maybe . . . something you may have to do occasionally during your life in your home. Just know you don’t have to caulk or seal every gap all at once.

Anyways, as asked, I did shoot some vid (and I usually don’t take the time to do that).  First, the intro (and keep all negative thoughts to yourself).  And then . . . in all its glory — the Story of Me & My Caulk (*giggle*).

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For the completion of my dryer vent install and well the follow up to this post >> Side Venting a Dryer :: Close Quarters Connect Revisited + Weatherization Tips.

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* Caulking Dutch Lap Siding

More photos captured when Caulking Dutch Lap Siding, below. For more much more on Repairing Dutch Lap Wood Siding, please see my article Tips and Lessons Learned with Repairing Dutch Lap Wood Siding.

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Rules of Caulking:  As a general rule of thumb, you can use caulk to fill gaps ½” or less in width (think: index finger) and foam sealants for gaps larger than ½” in width.  I say this not because I was compensated for taking part in this Challenge, but because — it is just the cold (but weatherized) hard truth.

The Recommended Products for the Challenge were (among others): DAP® 3.0™ All-Purpose Advanced Sealant, Dynaflex 230® Premium Indoor/Outdoor Sealant, and DAPtex® Plus Latex Insulating Foam Sealant.  For much more on Dap Products, here. For more on Building Moxie’s work with Dap or for a peek at Dap’s shop on Amazon, click through. Thanks for reading and check ’em out! ~jb