Replies

1. 
   Gabe_Martel | Nov 25, 1999 05:29am | #1

   *
   Hi Mark,

   Yes.

   Just make sure you spray around the outside of the box and don't fill the box.

   Gabe

1. 
   andrew_d | Nov 28, 1999 09:17am | #2

   *Ditto, though it really is a pain given the porous nature of the boxes. There are "air sealing" boxes on the market, e.g., http://www.efi.org. Don't put the stuff inside the box, it will burn. The extreme view (Gene Leger's) is don't put boxes in outside walls at all. I am attempting to do this where feasible.

1. 
   Don_Van_Dyke | Dec 14, 1999 11:28pm | #3

   *How about using the pre-made foam gaskets for this purpose?

1. 
   PatchoguePhil | Dec 15, 1999 08:02am | #4

   *Don, the gaskets "help", but only from around the coverplate and the perimeter of the duplex outlet. The outlet itself is where the air passes thru. The slots where the cord prongs go add up to close to a dimesize hole!Spray foam around the back of the outlet box.HTH,Phil

1. 
   andrew_d | Jan 15, 2000 10:56am | #5

   *I don't think the gaskets are worth much once they get compressed. I'm also unsure how well a foam seal will resist the insertion and removal of plugs over the years. Probably best to focus on properly sealing the wall interior with blown-in cellulose or something like Icynene. The amount of air that can move through an outlet box in a drafty wall IS considerable. So don't have a drafty wall.

2. 
   Mark_Helling | Jan 15, 2000 10:56am | #6

   *
   I was wondering if it would be safe to seal electrical boxes with spray-in-place foam sealant after the wires are run to prevent air leaks. Electrical boxes on ceilings and outside walls are big holes in an otherwise unbroken vapor barrier.