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Weatherization (American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
) or weatherproofing (British English
British English

British English or UK English is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere....
) is the practice of protecting a building and its interior from the elements, particularly from sunlight
Sunlight

Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total spectroscopy of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is Filter ed through the Earth's atmosphere, and the solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon....
, precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)

File:MeanMonthlyP.gifIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of Atmosphere water vapor that is deposited on the earth's surface....
, and wind
WIND

The Global Geospace Science WIND satellite is a NASA science spacecraft launched at 04:31:00 EST on November 1, 1994 from launch pad 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Merritt_Island%2C_Florida, Florida aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta II 7925-10 rocket....
, and of modifying a building to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.

Weatherization is distinct from building insulation
Building insulation

Building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. Whilst the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal insulation purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, Fireproofing, and Cushioning ....
, although building insulation requires weatherization for proper functioning. Many types of insulation can be thought of as weatherization, because they block drafts or protect from cold winds.






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Weatherization (American English
American English

PhonologyIn many ways, compared to English language in England, North American English is conservative in its phonology. Some distinctive accents can be found on the East Coast of the United States , partly because these areas were in contact with England, and imitated prestigious varieties of English English at a time when those varieties we...
) or weatherproofing (British English
British English

British English or UK English is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere....
) is the practice of protecting a building and its interior from the elements, particularly from sunlight
Sunlight

Sunlight, in the broad sense, is the total spectroscopy of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun. On Earth, sunlight is Filter ed through the Earth's atmosphere, and the solar radiation is obvious as daylight when the Sun is above the horizon....
, precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)

File:MeanMonthlyP.gifIn meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of Atmosphere water vapor that is deposited on the earth's surface....
, and wind
WIND

The Global Geospace Science WIND satellite is a NASA science spacecraft launched at 04:31:00 EST on November 1, 1994 from launch pad 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Merritt_Island%2C_Florida, Florida aboard a McDonnell Douglas Delta II 7925-10 rocket....
, and of modifying a building to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.

Weatherization is distinct from building insulation
Building insulation

Building insulation refers broadly to any object in a building used as insulation for any purpose. Whilst the majority of insulation in buildings is for thermal insulation purposes, the term also applies to acoustic insulation, Fireproofing, and Cushioning ....
, although building insulation requires weatherization for proper functioning. Many types of insulation can be thought of as weatherization, because they block drafts or protect from cold winds. Whereas insulation primarily reduces conductive heat flow, weatherization primarily reduces convective heat flow.

In the United States, buildings use one third of all energy consumed and two thirds of all electricity. Additionally, they are a major source of the pollution that causes urban air quality problems and pollutants that contribute to climate change. Buildings account for 49 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions, 25 percent of nitrous oxide emissions, and 10 percent of particulate emissions.

Weatherization procedures

Typical weatherization procedures include:
  • Sealing bypasses (cracks, gaps, holes), especially around doors, windows, pipes that penetrate the attic ceiling, and other areas with high potential for heat loss, using caulk, foam sealant, weather-stripping, window film, door sweeps, electrical receptacle gaskets, and so on to reduce infiltration
    Infiltration (HVAC)

    Infiltration is the unintentional or accidental introduction of outside air into a building, typically through cracks in the building envelope and through use of doors for passage....
    .
  • Protecting pipes from corrosion and freezing.
  • Installing footing drains, foundation waterproofing membranes, interior perimeter drains, sump pump
    Sump pump

    A sump pump is a pump used to remove water that has accumulated in a sump pit. A sump pit, commonly found in the home basement, is simply a hole to collect water....
    , gutters, downspout extensions, downward-sloping grading, French drains, swales, and other techniques to protect a building from both surface water and ground water.
  • Providing proper ventilation to unconditioned spaces to protect a building from the effects of condensation. See Ventilation issues in houses
    HVAC

    HVAC is an initialism or acronym that stands for "heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning". HVAC is sometimes referred to as climate control and is particularly important in the design of medium to large industrial and office buildings such as skyscrapers and in marine environments such as aquariums, where humidity and tem...
  • Installing roofing, building wrap, siding
    Siding

    Siding is the outer covering or cladding of a house meant to shed water and protect from the effects of weather. On a building that uses siding, it may act as a key element in the aesthetic beauty of the structure and directly impact its property value....
    , flashing
    Flashing (weatherproofing)

    Flashing refers to thin continuous pieces of sheet metal or other impervious material installed to prevent the passage of water into a structure from an angle or joint....
    , skylights or solar tubes and making sure they are in good condition on an existing building.
  • Installing insulation
    Thermal insulation

    The term thermal insulation can refer to materials used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, or the methods and processes used to reduce heat transfer....
     in walls, floors, and ceilings, around ducts and pipes, around water heaters, and near the foundation and sill.
  • Installing storm door
    Storm door

    A storm door refers to a type of door that is installed in front of an exterior access door to protect it from bad weather and allow ventilation....
    s and storm windows.
  • Replacing old drafty doors with tightly sealing, foam-core doors.
  • Replacing older windows with low-energy, double-glazed windows.


The phrase "whole-house weatherization" extends the traditional definition of weatherization to include installation of modern, energy-saving heating and cooling equipment, or repair of old, inefficient equipment (furnaces, boilers, water heaters, programmable thermostats, air conditioners, and so on). The "Whole-House" approach also looks at how the house performs as a system.

US Weatherization Assistance Program

Weatherization has become increasingly high-profile as the cost of home heating has risen. The US Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) was created in 1976 to help low-income families reduce energy consumption and costs. WAP reaches across all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Native American tribes. The goal of WAP is to assist low-income families by reducing energy bills and decrease dependency on foreign oil
North American energy independence

North American energy independence is a stated goal of those who believe that the North American nations - the USA, Canada and Mexico - must reduce their reliance on oil purchased from outside the continent....
 by decreasing energy use
Energy conservation

Energy conservation is the practice of decreasing the quantity of energy used. It may be achieved through efficient energy use, in which case energy use is decreased while achieving a similar outcome, or by reduced consumption of energy services....
.

The US Department of Energy estimates that over 5.6 million homes have been weatherized, saving 30.5 million MBtu of energy each year. It estimates weatherization returns $2.69 for each dollar spent on the program, realized in energy and non-energy benefits. Families whose homes are weatherized are expected to save $358 on their first year's utility bills.

Many state LIHEAP
LIHEAP

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program is a United States federal social services program first established in 1981 and funded annually through United States Congress appropriations....
 (Low Income Home Energy Assistance) programs work side by side with WAP to provide both immediate and long term solutions to energy poverty
Energy poverty

Energy Poverty is a term for a lack of access to electricity, heat, or other forms of Power. Often referring to the situation of peoples in the developing world, the term also implies any quality of life issues relating to this lack of access....
.

See also

  • Building envelope
    Building envelope

    A building envelope is the separation between the interior and the exterior environments of a building. It serves as the outer shell to protect the indoor environment as well as to facilitate its climate control....
  • Building indoor environment
    Building indoor environment

    Building indoor environment covers the environmental aspects in the design, analysis, and operation of energy-efficient, healthy, and comfortable buildings....
  • Central heating
    Central heating

    File:Boiler and Cylinder.jpgFile:Panna.jpgA central heating system provides warmth to the whole interior of a building from one point to multiple room s....
  • HVAC
    HVAC

    HVAC is an initialism or acronym that stands for "heating, Ventilation , and air conditioning". HVAC is sometimes referred to as climate control and is particularly important in the design of medium to large industrial and office buildings such as skyscrapers and in marine environments such as aquariums, where humidity and tem...
  • Vapor barrier
    Vapor barrier

    A vapor barrier is often used to refer to any material, typically a plastic or foil sheet, that resists diffusion of moisture through wall, ceiling and floor assemblies of buildings....


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