Air sealing in Manhattan

Air sealing for Manhattan buildings

Tall buildings act like chimneys. Warm air rises through shafts, pipe chases and stairwells and escapes at the top, and cold air is pulled in at the bottom. You feel it as drafts, smells moving between apartments and a heating bill that doesn’t make sense.

Where Manhattan buildings leak

• The roof edge and bulkhead: where the walls meet the roof.
• Pipe chases and shafts: gaps around risers that connect every floor.
• Window frames: the gaps behind the trim and around air conditioner sleeves.
• The cellar: rim joists and the openings where pipes and wires come in.

How we do it

1. We find the leaks, with a blower door test when the job calls for one.
2. We seal them with foam, sealant and fire-rated materials where pipes pass through floors.
3. Where it helps, we add insulation after sealing.

For whole buildings

In multifamily buildings, sealing the top and bottom of the building and the shafts can cut heating use for every unit. Buildings with 5 or more units may qualify for the Con Edison multifamily program, and larger buildings can count envelope work toward Local Law 97.

Common questions

Can you seal just my apartment? Yes. Sealing your windows, outlets and pipe openings stops drafts and some of the smells and noise from neighbors.