Learn How Air Sealing Prevents Garage Fumes From Moving Into Your Home

If your home features an attached garage, it's important to understand the importance of air sealing between the garage and your living space. Though an attached garage is convenient, when your house isn't properly sealed from the garage, harmful fumes and pollutants can creep inside and threaten the health of you and your family. By educating yourself on the toxic air from your garage and how proper air sealing can help, you can be more secure about your indoor air quality.

How the air in your attached garage becomes contaminated

Regardless of whether or not you keep your overhead garage door open while starting your automobile, each time you turn the key in the ignition, the vehicle emits harmful combustion gases such as carbon monoxide. On top of this, many homeowners will use their garages to store potentially toxic substances such as fertilizers, pesticides, paints, solvents and gasoline, which can all contaminate the air.

The passage of contaminated air from your garage into your home

Although a weatherstripped doorway and layer of drywall likely separates your home from the attached garage, you aren't necessarily guaranteed immunity from dangerous fumes. Tiny cracks and air leaks can form around the garage door or in the common wall or ceiling. If your garage has higher air pressure than your home, contaminated air will be drawn into your living spaces through the cracks and openings.

Preventing dirty garage air from entering your home

Work with a trusted HVAC contractor to find air leaks between your attached garage and your living spaces. Once leaks are located, air sealing your home can be accomplished by replacing your door's weatherstripping, patching holes with caulk, or blowing spray foam insulation over the first layer of drywall and sealing it in with a second drywall layer. This will inhibit the passage of air from your garage to your house and improve your home's energy efficiency. Installing an exhaust ventilation fan is also a good move for improving your garage's air quality, while lowering its air pressure.

For assistance in air sealing your home against pollutants in your attached garage, please contact us at Joe Behr Plumbing and Heating. We proudly serve residents of the Mid-Ohio area.