What Places Do You Need To Focus On To Create An Airtight Home?

When building or renovating a home, one of the most important aspects to focus on is ensuring that the house is not leaking too much air.

Part of the reason for this is building regulations, which stipulate that no more than ten cubic metres of air can escape the house for every square metre of the enveloped surface area.

However, beyond passing an airtightness test, having an airtight home can provide considerable benefits such as lower heating and energy costs, which when people are far more conscious of their effect on the environment have become increasingly important.

When it comes to creating an airtight home, renovators, builders and architects are focused on three key areas.

The Fabric Envelope

This has nothing to do with textiles or building materials but instead involved the building fabric that encloses the house, which in practice means the floor, walls and roof.

Typically, the biggest problems for creating an airtight home are the junctions between the floor and the walls, as well as those between the wall and the roof, with these seams often creating leaks that can lead to massive heat loss.

Windows and Doors

When the frame is fitted and how the door and window panels fit within the frame need to be airtight on the day they are installed, with a seal that lasts for as long as the window or door does.

This can also include little details such as keyholes, letterboxes and cat flaps.

Fabric Penetrations

Cables, pipes and chimneys will disrupt the fabric envelope and need to be carefully managed to create an airtight home.