sealing air leaks around outlets

[Unregistered]

I know that there are covers for outlets that help seal out drafts,but is it ok to place insulation in the outlet junction box?My house had insulation inside & around the junction boxes for the outlets on the exterior walls.

[Wgoodrich]

The inside of the box where the wires and devices are require a minimum of free air space per box fill rules. The conductors as electrical current flows to perform work will heat and cool as it is used. This requires cooling inside the box. This is very important. Placing insulation inside a box traps that heat and invites a fire.

If the walls are open you may stuff all holes top, bottom, and sides of a stud space where the wires enter that stud space to stop air flow. You may also stuff insulation or a spray foam that swells closing the openings where the wires enter the box. DO NOT STUFF THE INSIDE OF THE BOX.

If you have closed walls then buy what is actually a foam gasket designed to be installed between the wall surface and the receptacle or switch or blank plate. This is much like the gasket found behind the weatherproof plate installed outside to keep water out. This gasket will stop air from leaking from inside the walls to inside the house that may create a draft especially if that outside wall is of an old home without insulation.

Hope this helps

Wg

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the reply WG.That clears things up for me regarding the insulation that I removed from the receptical boxes.This stuff has been in their since my father-in-law built the addition back in the 70's.I installed some fo the gasket type outlet covers,but air still comes through the plug openings.Any ideas?

[Wgoodrich]

You may buy a can of that foam spray and pull out hte receptacle then spray only enought into each hole through the box to plug the holes but not build up inside the box. These spray cans have a tube for close point spraying of that foam. Just don't let it build up inside the box itself.

Sounds like you have the older clabbered home with no insulation in the walls. Remember that you are not allowed to install insulation is stud spaces where knob and tube wiring is located in the walls. Knob and tube wiring is not allowed to be covered by insulation.

If your home has been rewired then you may find it energy saving to install a styrofoam board around the outside of your home and new siding of some type creating a seal to stop all the draft. Expensive but energy saving and comfort inviting. If you do the siding outside as mentioned you might want [only if not knob and tube wiring in walls] to drill holes through the outside of your home up at the top of each stud space and blow in cellulous fiber insulation then use the plastic plugs to plug the holes you drilled. This helps even if no new siding is installed. But if you install the new siding then blow the insulation in the walls as discribed then install youf styrofoam board and new type siding and you have a house snugged up for energy savings. Might want to check your attic also for proper insulation.

If you are a home doityourselfer, Instead of the above. I would take one room at a time closing off that certain room. Take a hammer and beat the plaster off the walls without breaking the lathing. Then I would rewire, replumb, reduct all mechanicals in that room by removing the lathing unbroken saving for later use opening those stud spaces for easy mechanicals replacement. Then once mechanicals are installed blow full of insulation and reinstall the lathing you removed. Then install bisquine plastic sheeting as a vapor barrier covering the entire wall inside, then install 3/8" drywall using the lathing as strength backing. Then reinstall your window trims and door trims. Your baseboard does not need to come off at any time. Only set the drywall on top of the baseboard trim and use a round mold to cover that joint between the top of the baseboard and the new drywall. Then you have new construction quality of older home. Once one room is done start on next room. Working at home of days off at you time leisure without affecting life style as you do it. Make it a family activity, Kids will hate you for it at least a day or two Ha Ha. If you do this and your home is two story start at the top and come down becuase you may have to open some downstairs walls to get wiring, plumbing or heating upstairs. Once upstairs is done then go down stairs. That way you are not teariing out what you already have done.

HOpe this helps

Wg