# Electrical Outlet Draft



## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

This outlet works but in the winter, I usually put some duct tape of it since there is cold air that comes through. How can I fix this?

Edit: Would a foam gasket be a good idea?


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## Masterchiefxx17 (Feb 27, 2010)

You don't. Leave it be and put the tape on it.

Don't go messing with the insides of the outlet. One wrong move and prepare for a large shock.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

MC, please look at my edit.


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## sobeit (Nov 11, 2007)

you can purchase winter weatherization kits for outlets. 
Insulate Outlets and Switches to Cut Down on Heat Loss

the disadvantage of duct tape is when you pull it off. sometimes it will take part of the wall with it and you will need to do some touchup with paint.


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Yes on a gasket.

BG


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

The "right" way:


Turn of the power at the breaker.
Test _both_ the top and bottom sockets to make sure the power is off as they can actually be wired to two separate breakers (I've seen this in old houses more than once).
Pull the outlet.
Stuff in some fiberglass insulation.
Replace the outlet.
Method #2

Get a can of foam insulation and spray it around the outlet. This will work but the guy who goes to replace the outlet down the road will sure cuss you.

Method #3

Use one of these:

15 PC FOAM OUTLET INSULATION & SWITCH INSULATION KIT on eBay!


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Stick with item #3 above. That is what they made for.

Having an older house you can expect to see/feel some drafts.

BG


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

One of these things will actually block drafts, and give you more wall sockets too. I've several around the house now. Were I to wire a house today I'd put extra outlets behind the TV and at the library desk. However, when we built this house in the 70s the IBM PC had not yet come out and VCRs were an extravagance only for the rich.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

I think I'll go with option 3 because I don't feel comfortable meddling inside the box. But then the draft will still come in through the plug holes, so I think I will need to buy some plastic child-proof plug-ins even after I put the foam gaskets.

Edit: Obviously the best fix would be find out where the cold air comes in the building (i.e.: somewhere on the bricks) and then plug that but how would I figure that out?


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## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

MPR-

Something like that generally only defelects a draft, not stop it. They don't have some type gasket on the back.

Also older home generally adding places to plug something leads to circuit over loading. I have seen older places only having 60 amp service. Newer house have twice as much

BG


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

Having your two-socket outlet converted into a six-socket outlet for setting up your computer is no different than plugging in a power strip. Never exceed the load rating of a single outlet. However, those socket expanders are sealed at the back, plug into both existing sockets and also seal against the wall so they are pretty good at stopping drafts.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> Stick with item #3 above. That is what they made for.
> 
> Having an older house you can expect to see/feel some drafts.
> 
> BG


:thumb:

Stay out of the box unless you know what you are doing.......but, how do you become knowledgeable unless you start somewhere?? 

Contrary to MPR's advice I would never put fiberglass insulation inside the outlet/switch box......just me and I don't like the idea. If I went as far as to remove the device from the box I would use a can of foam and put a small dab on all openings.....the foam expands and has to be used sparingly. From the pic I'll say you have the typical metal box that was used years ago.










If you'll notice, there are many holes in the metal boxes and they won't be as easy to seal as today's plastic or fiber boxes. It can be done but will take time and patience.

Try the easiest method first and use the foam gaskets......it may work.


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

SABL said:


> Contrary to MPR's advice I would never put fiberglass insulation inside the outlet/switch box


Not inside, in back of and around. Maybe I didn't make it clear that you have to take out the junction box too. Once you insulate then you install a new box, which you can usually do with screws. This is the hardest and most time-consuming way of dealing with a draft and not many do it unless it's just for one or two bad drafts. If you have a house with conduit-grounded metal boxes you really don't want to even attempt this -- the draft is not worth the effort you would have to go to.

Spraying foam around and in back of the junction box can work to stop a draft but it's a real mess if the foam expands back into the box through the knockouts and glues everything together. The foam is flammable too and, by code, can't be inside the junction box. 

In an old, uninsulated house with several outlet drafts along exterior walls, your best bet, if foam seals that you put behind the covers don't take care of the problem to your satisfaction, is to blow insulation into the walls.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

My mistake....I mis-understood. 

Yep.....put nothing inside the box that doesn't belong there.....against code. You could poke small holes in the wall (right next to the box) and foam around the whole box.....if the box has holes in the back you can use those to get foam behind the box. Let cure overnight and remove any foam inside the box.....if needed, use a jumbo outlet cover.....or a super-jumbo.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

> conduit-grounded metal boxes


What is that?



> the draft is not worth the effort you would have to go to


If it costs me a lot of money to heat a house that keeps letting cold air in, then I really think anything is worth it, even tearing down the wall to rebuild it lol



> if foam seals that you put behind the covers don't take care of the problem to your satisfaction, is to blow insulation into the walls.


I just bought and installed several foam gaskets. Just by looking at them installed, it doesn't seem like they will make much difference. Some electrical outlet faceplates are even bigger than the foam gaskets so it's pointless. I'll see how they work this winter...



> if the box has holes in the back you can use those to get foam behind the box.


How would I even get behind the box lol!


I'm really just trying to properly insulate the house for this winter because it costs us a lot of money to heat this house in the winter due to air leaks. I've already applied new caulk to the patio doors and windows. I just wish my doors (as you'll see from my other thread) weren't wood and we had those newer aluminium doors that you can hear suction when it closes (Those are for sure air tight!)


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

You squirt the foam through the holes in the box.....once cured, remove any foam in the box.


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

These holes?


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

At the back of the box you will see some "knock-outs" for wires, with wires coming into at least one of them. Knock a couple more out and squirt foam through there. Also, squirt foam around the sides of the box between it and the wall back as far as you can. Excess can be trimmed off easily from the outside when it dries with a scraper and dug out from the inside with a bit more effort with a spoon.

It's best to do all this with the outlet removed, although if the gap between the junction box and wall is big enough you might be able to get a nozzle back far enough from the outside. What you want is a good seal all around the box and in back of it too without much foam inside the box.

What makes a mess is when a homeowner just sticks a foam nozzle inside of the box and foams up, outlet, wires, box and all, which not only violates code it makes the guy who comes to replace the outlet later because it either burns up or he can't plug anything into it very upset (or I guess, very happy if he's an electrician charging by the hour -- you can make a hundred dollars for a simple outlet replacement if you have to rewire a new junction box).


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## Solidify (May 12, 2011)

What if I wanted to eliminate the problem at it's source (i.e. where the draft enters the building)? How would I located the air's entry point on the outside perimeter of the building?


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## MPR (Aug 28, 2010)

To find drafts you will need a thermal imaging camera or a smoke pencil.

Thermal Imaging House Inspection - YouTube

Smoke Pencil Demo - YouTube


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