If you have just recently had an air conditioning contractor install a brand new central air system in your home, now is a good time to seal out any drafts. Since you want your new air conditioner to send cool air inside and you want to keep that cool air inside, sealing your home will prevent your A/C from cooling the outside too. You also want to prevent drafts when your unit is not running, which could occur through the open slats of your condenser. Here is how to adequately seal indoor air in and outdoor air out, when your A/C is running in season or turned off, and preventing air from escaping the other areas of your house.

Use a Cover Over the Condenser

The condenser is that big, boxy component that sits outside your home and is a major part of the air conditioner. While it moves hot air out of your home, cools it and moves the cooled air back into your home, it does so through a series of hoses and/or pumps which might not be airtight. When it is not running, the open slats in the condenser box allow free movement of air through the box and through the condenser's connections that can leak air.  Buy and use a condenser cover any time you are not using your A/C and you do not have it turned on, and if you suspect that there is some air still leaking in or out, ask your air conditioning contractor to take a look.

Use Expanding Insulation Foam

Expanding insulation foam comes in spray cans with attachment nozzles that can reach into some of the smaller cracks around your home. Walk around your home's foundation and search around your new air conditioner to find areas where there are clear openings into your house. Since the electrical cables and wiring for your new A/C unit typically go through the exterior wall of your home and then into the basement, there may be some larger openings here. The expanding insulation foam should be sprayed around these areas carefully. Too much could cause slight disconnections with the foam expands. Too little might not fill the cracks and openings enough. It is best to spray a little at a time, wait for it to fully expand, then add a little more if there is still a visible opening.

Use a Paint-on Sealant on the Whole House (Except for the Glass on Your Windows)

There is a special type of sealant that can be sprayed or painted on the foundation of your home and on the siding of your home. It blocks air from getting in or out, a sort of isolation lacquer. You may want to use this product in conjunction with the two previously-mentioned products to fully prevent drafts. You cannot spray or paint it on the glass portions of your windows however. For the glass portions and moving sashes on your windows, you may want to try insulating window film instead.

To learn more, contact a company like Controlled Comfort.