Let’s get started by thinking about when we were little and trying to fit the square peg in the round hole. At such a young age we knew that the hole need to be plugged. This concept is still relevant today except we, as grown-ups, don’t worry about it. Just think of this: for every wire, piece of plumbing, and heating and air vent, there is a hole that had to be made. That little or big hole provides a way for your hard earned money to escape; the very money that you will use to send your kids to school to learn that if there is a hole you should try to plug it. Well I’m saying plug it here. Just to give you a reference point, what I’m really talking about is air sealing. This is something that should be brought to your attention by the contractor who is performing insulation-related work in your home. If they are not at least telling you about it, then you should look for a contractor who is going to do your job correctly. Believe it or not, there are companies out there that will just fill your attic with insulation and not seal a thing. All those holes that we were just thinking about are still open and your money is still going through them at a slower rate. Let’s face it. A slow leak will drain a pool. It’s the same with air leakage. It will drain your wallet.

Since we are talking about taking action, let’s talk Brandon’s NASCAR Picks of the week at “The Action Track” this weekend. So, I’m taking “Mr. Action” himself Kyle Busch this weekend in Richmond. With my second choice, I’ll be going with the winner from last week Denny Hamlin.

Indoor air quality is crucial for good health.  Poor indoor air quality can exacerbate asthma, allergies, and other respiratory illnesses.  Also, it can even cause a previously healthy person to develop respiratory issues over time.  Your children from the ages 4-10 are among the most sensitive to the effects of poor indoor air quality as their lungs are still developing and are highly susceptible to long-term issues/damage when exposed to contaminated air. Also, they spend more time outside and are attending school every day which allows them to breathe more air pollutants than adults.

Although you can’t control the outside air, there are ways to control the indoor air quality of your home.  One of the best ways this can be address is through a CleanSeal by EnergyTight.  Think of your crawlspace right quick, not a pretty site in most cases.  They are mostly damp, nasty, infested with bugs/rodents, and sometimes mold.  For many of the homes in this area, your HVAC is in the crawlspace, which has your leaky ductwork attached to it.  And what does our HVAC do?  It supplies the air we breathe, and when it is on it pulls air from everywhere: crawlspace, attic, and outdoors.

Now place this picture in your head: a nice, clean, sealed up crawlspace, with all the nasty insulation, bugs, moisture, and mold GONE.  Your HVAC and the ductwork is now inside the shell of the home, allowing it to work not only at peak performance but only filtering and providing you with clean air. Energy Tight’s CleanSeal is just like it sounds: Clean and Sealed from all the pollutants that can come from a crawlspace. Other benefits of this system:

• Improves energy efficiency of the home
• Improves indoor air quality
• Adds usable storage space to the home
• Prolongs the life of the foundation
• Floors stay warmer in the winter, keeps pipes from freezing
• Keeps hardwood floors looking good all year round
• Eliminates buckling or cupping that results from high moisture levels

A CleanSeal from Energy Tight makes your crawl space look presentable, which adds value to your home, and the ability to control your ambient temperature and moisture.  Thus providing you with better indoor air quality in your home so you can watch TV, eat, play board games, and yes sleep peacefully knowing that you are warm and safe. All while increasing the life of your investment by protecting the foundation that it’s built on.

Now for my weekly NASCAR drivers pick.  It’s a gamble this week in Las Vegas, but I believe I’m going to go with Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards.  Don’t bet the house on my picks, but at-least wait for the river to see what happens with these two.