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How to create an airtight home

Close up of a see-through pet door installed on a glass door leading into an outdoor area

Overview

Having an airtight home will reduce your electricity consumption and possibly your power bill by preventing airflow out of your house. We’ll show you some areas of potential heat loss and some products you can use to eliminate gaps in your home. 

Tools and materials

    Materials

    Steps

    1Check your ceiling for air leakage

    Over 40% of heating is lost through your ceiling so it's really important to make sure you get rid of any draughts or areas of air leakage. Check around all light shades, vents and antennas for potential gaps. Crawl into your roof space and if you can see any light, that's a gap that's causing heat loss and needs to be filled.

    Close up of a vent on the outside of a house

    2Close up outside vents

    There are many areas around your home that may leak warm air. Pet doors and vents from things such as a rangehoood, a dryer or shower can cause a lot of heat loss. Installing brackets for these appliances can prevent air loss through them
    Close up of a see-through pet door installed on a glass door leading into an outdoor area

    3Reduce heat loss through your chimney

    Your house can lose a lot of heat through a chimney or open fireplace. If you're not actively using your fireplace, consider sealing it up on the inside. If you do like to use your fireplace, you could close the chimney's flue or use a damper to reduce the air flow.

    Fireplace with freshly cut wood sitting in it

    4Check your air conditioning unit

    Air conditioning units can lose a lot of air at the connections that lead outside. Check that all the fixings are secure at the building and at the air conditioning unit.  Also look for leaky or cracked pipes that may also be causing air loss. 

    Closeup of a central air conditioning unit installed outside a house. The temperature reads 25.8 degrees.

    5Seal up door and window gaps

    To seal aluminium doors and windows, install a thermal break to create another barrier against air loss and movement. For wooden windows and doors, you can use foam seals. Make sure that any existing door and windows strips are in good condition and that they aren't leaking air. If they do, these can be easily replaced with foam strips.  

    Close up of a hand pressed against the sealing of an open glass door

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    Health & Safety

    Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

    Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.