Do Foam Outlet and Switch Box Gaskets Work?
Recently, I performed a home energy audit here in SE Michigan. The customer was bothered by many cold spots throughout the house. I set up my blower door in an entry door to test for air leaks. I turned on the blower door and then went hunting for those air leaks. I found air leaks at some electrical outlets and switches on the exterior walls. This infrared photo of a quadruple switch box and a duplex outlet shows how cold air is leaking into the house through these boxes. The temperature readout on the switch box is just below 40°F! That's cold.
What to do?
The utility companies have been pushing the outside wall foam outlet and switch gaskets for years as a way to cut down on air infiltration. I though about it and realized that I don't have any at my house. Aha, opportunity. Let's find out if these things work. I walked to the local hardware store, bought a package of outlet gaskets and a package of switch gaskets, and walked home. I chose a triple switch box and two duplex outlets in my plaster walls, and double switch box and a duplex outlet in my drywall walls. In some cases the multiple switch boxes had overlapping gaskets. I set up my blower door and turned it on. I took infrared photos of the of the switches and outlets before and after gasket installation with the blower door running. They are shown side-by-side below.
Pictures of my outlets without Gaskets are shown on the left, then after gaskets on the right.
OBSERVATIONS
There is a definite thermal difference between pre-gasket installation and post-gasket installation. All infrared photos with gaskets have a higher temperature reading than those without the gaskets. Gaps outside the cover plate compromise gasket operation. They do not eliminate all air movement. Covers should be installed snug with the gaskets.
CONCLUSIONS
It appears that the gaskets do work, but not perfectly. I will install gaskets in all of my exterior wall outlets and switches. Consider repairs to openings that are larger than the cover plates.
Related Topics
Read more from Gordon on: Blower Doors and Infrared Cameras
Comments
Wondered if this worked
I've wondered how much foam or gaskets worked. In the winter I could feel the cold air just pour in from my outlets along my kitchen wall. Thanks for running this test and publishing the results, so I don't have to!
At the cost of these gaskets
At the cost of these gaskets the expectation for investment is minimal. If it protects marginally the you have gained !
Regards,
Matt
Flooring Raleigh
Great Post
Great post, love your work. Very well thought out and put together.
land farm ranche
profit margins - the weather can wreak havoc on their quality of life and
economic viability. When natural disasters strike, we must do all we can to
assist the backbone of our economy.
rural real estate is part of it, u can see here <a href="http://www.rurallistings.com/">farms for sale</a>
it is really true
I really enjoy writing novels. It's like the ocean. You can just build a boat and take off.
it is very true in the boating industry, u can see boats for sale
This is a great source of
This is a great source of communication sharing for not only home owners, but builders, architects and any one involved in the construction and energy business. Also this proves the validity of regular homeenergy audits as a form of maintenance and planning for improvements in your environment.
Very interesting post,
Very interesting post, extemely well thought out and put together. Keep up the good work.
great post
Hi, love this post. Very interesting, I look forward to reading more of your work in the future. Keep up the good work.
Hi Gordon Great informative
Hi Gordon
Great informative article. Good thing I came accross it. Learned a lot.wooden boat plans
Outlet Gaskets
Thanks for your posting. I try to stay abreast of the home performance industry.
To be honest, I even could
To be honest, I even could not imagine how hard it is to find decent piece of info on the above topic. It took me a couple of hours before I came across your site. No doubt, it is the best freely available source! dildos
Nancy thinks...
I think this is a great sign of things to come! It could add value to homes from added security. Dfw real estate.
Thank u so much sincerely for
Thank u so much sincerely for sharing your wonderful experiences with all of us.i am gonna come back again looking for some updates.
Thanks
Thanks. this really helped me.:)
semenax
Hello, this is unquestionably
Hello, this is unquestionably a seriouslyoutstanding post. In principle I'd wish to
generate like this too - taking time and real work to make a great post... but what
can I say.!. I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to obtain anything done.
Thank You
The customer was bothered by
The customer was bothered by many cold spots throughout the house. I set up my blower door in an entry door to test for air leaks. I turned on the blower door and then went hunting for those air leaks.
Chapter 13
Wall Outlet Gaskets
Thanks Kath for your comment. It' s another testimonial to an inexpensive air sealing repair.
Cladding
Since these foam and gaskets are very cheap anyway I would install them
on all outlets and switches, even outside of the house. And don’t forget
to buy those cover plugs for the holes where the appliances plug in as a
lot of air can come through.
Regards,
Kath Vent
upvc cladding
Wall Outlet Gaskets
Wall Outlet Gaskets
Expanding Foam
Expanding
gaskets
Exactly the evidence I was looking for