Building Envelope Solutions
Air sealing for Brooklyn homes
Old Brooklyn houses leak. Warm air rises out through gaps at the top of the house and cold air is pulled in at the bottom. You feel it as drafts, cold floors and a heating bill that stays high even after you add insulation.
Where Brooklyn homes leak most
- The top of the house: around chimneys, plumbing stacks, light fixtures and the attic hatch.
- Party walls: the gaps where row houses meet, which let cold air move between houses.
- The bottom of the house: rim joists and the top of the foundation.
- Windows and doors: the gaps behind the trim, not just the sash.
How we do it
- We find the leaks, with a blower door test when the job calls for one.
- We seal them with foam, sealant and fire-rated materials around chimneys and flues.
- Then we insulate, so the new insulation is not undercut by moving air.
Pair it with insulation
Air sealing and insulation work together. Most Brooklyn jobs combine sealing with attic and roof insulation or spray foam, which seals as it insulates.
Rebates
Most of Brooklyn has National Grid gas. National Grid’s Total Home Comfort program is paused for new applications, so most one- to four-family homes now go through NYSERDA programs, and buildings with 5 or more units through National Grid’s multifamily program. We check what is open for your address before we price the job. See the NYC rebate guide.
Common questions
Can a house be too tight? We make sure gas appliances still vent properly and the house still gets fresh air.