Sealing up your home

My zero of a home needs some sealing. I know that because it got cold again and I went around feeling and measuring my cold spots. It seemed like an easy project...

Basically you end up concentrating on all the penetrations through the sheetrock. So we're after plugs, switches, plumbing, lighting...but only on exterior walls. You just need three things (other than time), you need those little foam deals for the switches and plugs, some foam sealant, and child protection plugs for the outlets. Windows and doors are for another post.

Off to the Depot, but first I have to count my plugs and switches on exterior walls to figure out how many foam deals I need. Well, I have triple wide, double wide and single switches and double wide and single wide plugs. About halfway through I give up counting because I don't really know what's available.

At the store I ask and get directed to an obscure box in the electrical section. (How long will it take for the Depot to realize they need an energy conservation section?) In the box are plastic bags of foam deals, two for a dollar for single outlets or switches (they are universal). It occurs to me that means I have to essentially assemble the double and triple wide ones. I grab a big handful wondering how badly I am getting hosed buying little sheets of foam rubber for $.50 each.

Next I head to the paint department for foam sealant. The first thing I see is a product in a big can called "Great Stuff", well let me assure you it isn't. Steer clear. This stuff sticks on everything, it's horrible to clean up and even harder to control the expansion. Think of your last caulking project only using super glue foamy stuff.

A little farther down is a new foam product (to me) from DAP. They make good stuff and it's water clean up. That also means it will have very little noxious smell (VOCs).

Lastly, I have to ask again where the safety plugs are..."in the child safety section". They have a child safety section and no energy conservation section! I choose some clear plugs because no manufacturer has the forethought to make white ones that match the plates. Off to the register...wherever that is.

There is lots of information out on the web on how to do this project but it's pretty simple. You take off the plates and foam around the electrical boxes, not in them! This stops most of the air movement. Then you put the foam deal on the back of the plate and replace. On outlets you also push in the safety plugs to close the holes in the plug itself. Belt, suspenders, glue....

Of course the "universal" foam deals don't fit my plates! They are too big, so I have to trim every one, on four sides. For the doubles and triples I have to perform minor surgery. There has to be a better product out there...

Bottom Line #1 - This project cost about $30 and saved me...well...who knows? It's easy, cheap and we know it works, just not how much. This one we do on faith because we can feel the cold air!

I also visit every plumbing penetration and sealed those with the foam. The can has a short straw but I used a long skinny one we had in the house that worked great to reach back in the holes. The colder it is in the sink cabinet, the more foam you will need.

I then went outside and sealed all the external areas where I had some mortar cracks that were deep enough to require some foam. You don't want to fill these all the way as they will need mortar, or caulk and paint to finish them right. I also sealed up where the AC enters, dryer vent, etc but those only enter my crawlspace, but it keeps the critters out.

Since it's all water clean up, just carry some paper towels and get all the excess off right away.

Just a note on sealing and insulation. The reason insulation works is because it stops air flow. If your wall was completely sealed but without insulation, the air would flow from convection, transferring the cold in and the heat out. So stopping these flows of air is what insulation and sealing do. In your attic, the insulation just makes a non flowing barrier of stuff with the air trapped in it. In argon filled, double pane windows, it slows down the convection and makes a better "insulating" window.

So why does air flow into your wall plugs even with insulation? Because a house is rarely neutral in air pressure so it may be sucking it in and wind can also exacerbate the problem. The fiberglass bats typically used don't really "seal" so there are air gaps. But if we seal, we stop the air flow and thus the transference of heat or cold in the walls. (This is why the new spray foams are becoming so popular, they seal and insulate at the same time!)

Before you start such a project, I caution you. If you are the obsessive type, you may chase and fix leaks till you finally live in an air sealed bubble. That's not good for your health. There are too many things in your home emitting noxious fumes that a completely sealed house would hold, forever. So two choices, live with some air infiltration or seal it up and buy a device that provides fresh air into the home. Feel like you have come full circle?

Bottom Line #2 - Your sealing project is time and money well spent but don't go overboard. Just hit all the high spots and keep an eye out for any new leaks. Like when the cable guy comes out and starts drilling.