Even with electrical plate insulators, cold air is leaking thru...

[bd420]

I have placed electrical plate insulators on my outside wall outlets, and I still have cold air coming thru the actual electrical plug holes! Although the cold air is piercing thru these small slits/gaps, would this still be too negligible to have an affect on my heating costs? If so, I certainly won't bother with anything else past the insulators, which are surely helpling somewhat, or, perhaps they are simply blocking one route and therefore the air coming out of the electrical holes themselves is now escaping with slightly more force, making the whole effort a waste of my time?

I have Water based heat running thru copper with small radiant fins, which I really like for quickly heating my house.

Just wondering what I can do at this point, if the airflow in NOT neglible for my heating costs, then I'll consider continuing my crusade for energy efficacy ;-).

Thanks in advance.

bd

[newsman]

[evodawg]

try using Great Stuff spray foam. Just be carefull how much you use, it expands uncontrollably. Test it first.

[Bill Kearney]

Note, they do make different kinds of this foam. Using just the 'regular' foam may not be a great idea. It expands QUITE a bit. They make another variant that expands with less pressure. This is the sort you'd use around windows. If you used the regular stuff you run the risk of having it expand such that it causes the window to bind.

When insulating an outlet be sure NOT TO PUT THE FOAM IN THE WIRING BOX. The foam is permanent, it does not lend itself to ever being removed. Certainly not without wrecking whatever it covered. If you put it inside the electrical box you not only ruin any chance of ever fixing the wires, you may also be introducing an added fire hazard. So DO NOt spray it into the box that contains the wires and the outlet. And if/when you did spray it around the outside of the box be sure to NOT use too much such that it squeezes INTO the box.

That's why I suggested NOT using the regular variety. If you use the less expanding foam most likely the worst thing that'd happen is you'd end up needing more of it. I'd rather use another can instead of having one expand too much, become impossible to remove and ruin things.

Whichever foam you use be prepared to use the whole can, right then. They don't keep. Get all your outlets prepped before starting. Along with any other cracks leaking air.

Read the instructions on it carefully and be prepared for a mess.

-Bill Kearney

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Every air leak counts but too air tightness has draw back too. You have to get fresh air from outside now and then. If you really want to plug up the air leak there, spray foam out of can will do. Bit messy tho. My house is VERY well insulated. Cool in summer, warm in winter. It is so called R2000 spec'd house. If you really want to, have expert come in and do an assessment on energy efficiency at a cost. There are many ways to save energy but one is better than another in cost. Tony