How Rubber Seal Strips Reduce Energy Bills

With energy costs on the rise and families looking to save energy, rubber seal strips are one of the easiest and most effective ways to cut down energy bills. While not always given much thought, these small strips are an important part of ensuring indoor comfort, minimizing air leaks, and increasing the thermal performance of homes and commercial properties. The Rubber Seal Strip has provided highly energy-saving opportunities since they prevent air movement through the seams of doors and windows and seal gaps in attics and basements.

What are Rubber Seal Strips?

Rubber seal strips, or weather-stripping, are small, flexible strips made from materials including EPDM rubber, silicone, neoprene, or PVC. Rubber seal strips are usually placed along the edges of doors, windows, and other holes in the structure to minimize air movement through the gaps. Many of the rubber seal strips sold today are self-adhesive and do not require any specialized tools for installation.

Depending on the size of the gaps and the need to minimize air movement, rubber seal strips come in different designs:

• D-shaped snow brush seals for medium to larger air leakage

• P-shaped or bulb seals for larger, uneven gaps.

• Flat or strip-style seals for use in door jambs and across thresholds

• Foam rubber strips for lightweight and practical insulation purposes

• Brush-type strips for sliding doors and for dust minimization purposes.

Although their main role is to prevent drafts, their existence helps to provide more than just deterrence of cold or warm air from entering a space. 

Common Sources of Air Leakage

• Gaps under doors.

• Loose or poorly fitted window frames.

• Cracks at junctions where two building materials come together.

• Openings for plumbing, electrical wires, and ventilation pipes.

• Hatches access attics or spaces below the top floor level, such as crawl spaces, where the building envelope is not continuous.

• Sliding doors with worn-out seals.

How Rubber Seal Strips Help Lower Energy Costs

Stopping Drafts and Air Leakage: Drafts in a home are one of the most common causes of losing heat or air conditioning. Rubber Strips close gaps around doors and windows to create a tight seal. This prevents outside air from getting in and conditioned air from getting out. This allows heating and cooling systems to work more efficiently and consume less energy.

Improving HVAC Efficiency: When the heating or cooling system doesn't have to account for the lost air, it cycles less often. Less cycling directly correlates to lower energy bills. HVAC systems last longer if they are not overworked, which helps avoid costly repairs or premature replacements for homeowners.

Keeping Indoor Temperatures Steady: Temperature swings can lead to discomfort indoors and more frequent on/off cycles for HVAC systems. Seal strips can limit heat transfer through gaps, resulting in steadier indoor temperatures. Steadier temperatures in your home require less energy to maintain especially during extreme heat or humidity and cold temperatures.

Preventing Heat Loss in Wintertime: In the winter, cold air can leak into your home via unsealed gaps, and warm indoor air can escape through the same openings. When an interior space is “winterized,” the air exchange is diminished, and energy loss is decreased, typically saving an individual money because their home will lean less on heating. Rubber seals, in this case, aid in trapping heat inside, compounding the heat retention and minimizing your use of that heating system (electric, gas, or fuel).

Preventing Heat Entry in the Summer: In warm climates, rubber seal strips aid in blocking outdoor heat from entering, all while using your air conditioning less. When your home is tapped off well, the indoor temperature will remain lower, and you will have reduced air conditioning expenses when cooler temperatures are not around, regardless of the extreme outside heat environment.

Minimizing Moisture and Humidity: Having humidity will only heat up your indoor temperatures and make your cooling systems work harder. By placing the high quality Rubber Strips UK, moisture-laden air cannot penetrate into the living space, which aids in keeping moisture and humidity down. In a space with lower humidity, your AC will run more efficiently, resulting in less electricity being consumed.

Insulation Against Noise and Dust: Noise and dust do not necessarily affect energy bills, but if your space is free from both those elements, it aids in environmental comfort. Noise insulation fosters a calm indoor environment. Dust blockage in the living space quality may also support better air flow through HVAC systems and promote less cluttering of filters.