Michael B wrote:
Start out by asking your wife to not be dusting around doors
or windows. And to look for cobwebs. If there are air leaks,
and if there are spiders to find them, they will put their little
webs there.

Or start with a room, any room. Cover the heat delivery vent,
perhaps with plastic and some magnets. So that you don't
confound what you're looking for. Then turn the furnace blower
on, so it will be pulling air from the rooms. Then go around with
incense stick, whatever, because those air leaks will be much
more apparent with active furnace function.

Another way is to just have a container of water, dip your hand
in, and use the back of your wettened hand to find the air leaks.

While you're at it, you might want to think about "tuning" your
delivery system. The rooms furthest from the furnace need to
have the most unresticted air flow, the bathroom is likely to be
right over it and generally needs minimal delivery, especially if
the air return is very near by.

Hope that gave you something to consider.

And a reminder-locks on the windows are not to keep people
out, they are to cut down on air infiltration. The word "window"
is from a Scandinavian term that was for "eye to the wind". If the
window locks don't snug one window portion to the other, some
alternatives need to be considered. If you can slip a business
card between the portions when the lock is secured, you have
found another leak.

On Jan 24, 12:53 am, blueman wrote:
I am trying to chase down drafts in my house and would like to get
advice on the best way to detect air leaks.

Chuckle. I'll second that. A few weeks ago, I noticed the interior
window film on one window in the bedroom I sleep in, was inflated like a
balloon. I never take the film off, since I have to use a/c in summer
due to allergies. The venetian blind under the film was set to fully
closed, to keep down heat loading, since the window faces west. I peeked
through the cracks, and noticed visible daylight above top sash and
below bottom sash- turns out the latch was loose and had vibrated open
or thermal cycling made it all move, or something. Good thing I
reputtied the windows and blacksmithed the storms when I moved in- the
storm window and the film were my only weather seal.

Had to peel the film loose to close it back up. You that 'paint safe'
tape you apply film with? Apparently it is only paint-safe if you change
it yearly.

Which reminds me- anybody know of a vendor that sells real window
latches? All the borg had were stamped metal crap, very much like the
ones on these 1960 builder-grade windows. You try to dog the latch down,
and the lever bends over without making the window tight.

--
aem sends...