Home: Insulation
Electrical box insulation   (+2, -2)  [vote for, against]
reduce drafts and tighten the home

It is said that much air leaks into or out of a home's conditioned spaces through light fixtures and switches, etc. While there are foam gaskets for switches and recepticals, I have not seen foam gaskets for multiple switches or recepticals, nor have I seen them for light fixture boxes. The product I propose is a closed-cell expanding foam. It would be formulated to be fireproof or highly fire resistant (maybe made of minerals instead of plastic?) and would not stick to surfaces as existing expanding foam products do. The idea is to just fill the electrical box with this foam, which would seal it up but still allow the foam to be removed easily when wiring needs to be done. A sticky version could be used to seal around the edge of the box.
-- wittyhoosier, Jul 19 2006

When I noticed some drafts, I took the covers of all our outlet boxes and shot "Great Stuff" (expanding polyurethane foam in an aerosol can) through the holes in the back of the boxes, enough of it to fill the space around the boxes. No more drafts and no need to fill the boxes themselves with foam.
-- jmvw, Jul 19 2006


what [jmvw] said
-- xandram, Jul 19 2006


I have spray foam behind all my electical boxes. Including the breaker panel. Putting the foam in front seems like both a hassle and a fire hazard.
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Jul 19 2006



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