From my FHB magazines and the cold climate books I have from Taunton Press I thought that air tight electrical boxes with a place to attach a vapor barrier would be in common use. The suppliers I have available act like I am speaking latin when I describe the idea. What gives? Can somebody either send me the name of a manufacturer or tell me why I shouldn’t use sealed boxes?
signed, a Vermont DIY home owner with fiberglass hanging out.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
There are a number of ways to achieve a level foundation and mudsill.
Featured Video
How to Install Exterior Window TrimHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Around here, (Atlantic Canada), we use those plastic hat-like things, and seal where the wire enters them with sealant. I suppose because it's a lot cheaper than special boxes.
I would be happy with the hat like surrounds but who makes or sells them?
They're on the shelf in our local big box, in single/double/quad box sizes....
Even easier than the "hats", around here (Ottawa) every one seems to just cut some of the vapour barrier into appropriate sized squares. These squares are "wrapped" around the electrical boxes when the boxes are installed. The wire is just poked through and sealed, and the "wrap" is sealed to the vapour barrier when installed.
I tried both this method and the "hats", I found the "hats" slower to work with.
Sure, go with the low-tech solution. Where's the fun in that?
Don3,
Here are several distributors of airtight electrical boxes:
American Aldes Ventilation Corp.
4537 Northgate Court
Sarasota, FL 34234-2124
800-255-7749
941-351-3441
Fax: 941-351-3442
http://www.americanaldes.com
Distributor / retailer of Ryeco Enviroseal airtight electrical boxes
Energy Federation Inc.
14 Tech Circle
Natick, MA 01760
800-876-0660
508-870-2277
Fax: 508-870-9933
http://www.efi.org
Retailer of energy-saving equipment, including airtight electrical boxes
LESSCO airtight electrical boxes
Enviroseal airtight electrical boxes
LESSCO Low Energy Systems Supply Company, LLC
W1330 Happy Hollow Road
Campbellsport, WI 53010
920-533-8690
http://www.lessco-airtight.com
Manufacturer of Lessco airtight electrical boxes
Shelter Supply
151 East Cliff Road, Suite 30
Burnsville, MN 55337
800-762-8399 -- press 0
952-516-3400
Fax: 952-736-3370
http://www.sheltersupply.com
[email protected]
Shelter Supply sells the NuTek box.
Good luck.
Martin Holladay
When I built my house in upstate NY, I purchased boxes for the interior of exterior walls and ceilings from a hardware store in Canada. They had a little flange around the box with a thin gasket. The drywall sealed against the gasket. The wiring holes had a little piece of foam rubber to reduce infiltration there. I don't remember the name of the store, but I think the boxes were fairly commonly available.
Canada's a good place to get toilets that flush properly, too.
thanks HOLLADAYM and every one for your suggestions/info. Now I need to go to Canada to see what a real toilet looks like.
If you use the plastic boxes you might want to seal them to your vapour barrier with a good bead of acoustical sealant around the flange.
I remember growing up in a house (built in'67) that had cold air blowing thru the exterior wall outlets and switches and struggling to get each one of them sealed with whatever new-fangled system would come along. That hosue was insulated with fiberglass batts.Now I live in a 100 year old house insulated by blown in dense pack cellulose and have never had any trouble with cold air leaks thru any of the wall penetrations on the exterior walls. A whole world better, and lots less fussing around with sealing details.If you have a choice, I recommend sealing up the whole house, rather than only spending time trying to get each individual outlet.Norm
You can create your own sealed boxes on the cheap by caulking all of the holes in a standard box, and sealing around the face. Technique is also good for old work.