Cold air thru electric outlets

All

Is it normal to feel cold air coming in thru electric outlets?

We also noticed it near a window ( window in the family room) and checked the caulking etc. everything looked fine.
Is there anything else I should look ?

This is a five year old two level home by Washington homes.

Thanks

 

Totally normal, feeling cold air thru electric outlets. You can buy those plugs that are used to "child proof" your home - they help. Our home is almost 10 years old and we'll be replacing all the windows some time this year. Builder's windows are not tight at all.

 

Re: Cold Air through Electric Outlets

overlander, tyger31, and others--

A cheaper alternative to losing cold air through your electrical outlet and light switch plates is to purchase pre-cutFOAM GASKETS for your outlet plates at any hardware or home center store (i.e. Tart Lumber, Lowes, or Home Depot).

When we built our home and installed outlet plates--we insulated well and used the pre-cutFOAM GASKETS plates when we noticed cold drafts of air leaking through the outlets. They are pennies on the dollar--around $5-$10 for a package. Just follow the instructions on the package and they are easy to install--even if you are not a DIYer (Do-It-Yourselfer).

Below are some Consumer web sites and articles for energy savings, etc. Hints also for the Homeowner. Enjoy!

www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_winter (U.S. Government's Energy site/info with great info for saving energy. Links for foam gasket outlets, etc.)

www.extension.missouri.edu/eregion/lifetimes/ (Missouri's Cooperative Extension web site of their magazine Life TimesWinter 2006 edition with hints on energy savings. Check out #6 for foam gaskets and other energy info).

advice.thisoldhouse.com/showthread.php?t=3489 (This Old House's site/info with caulking and sealing cold drafts on outlet plates, etc.)

Foodie

 

Mike from Holmes on Homes has said on his show that you can caulk around outlets and switchplates to further seal. If you haven't seen his show on the Discovery Home network you should check it out - it's produced in a surprisingly entertaining way for a home improvement show.

From the website:

 

Thanks Foodie....new windows helps as well!

 

tyger31 and others--

Glad you find the web sites and links helpful. Pre-cut foam gaskets are an easy solution and cheap way to solve cold and drafty air for outlet plates.

The correct web site for Missouri Cooperative Extension of the Life Times Winter 2006 online newsletter for the article entitled "Top 10 Home Energy-Savings Tips" is below--

www.extension.missouri.edu/ecregion/lifetimes/ (Missouri Cooperative Extension's site/info of their Life Times online newsletter.)

Sorry about the bad web site link. Stay warm--

Foodie

 

I second Holmes on Homes.... great show, but also pisses you off on what these builders and contractors get away with and knowing you likely live in a house with similar issues. It's a Canadian show (he's come to the US a few times -- once for the Ellen show), but it applies here too!

Basically the show is about:

DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!
Minimum code requirements suck.
etc.

=)

 

Exactly. That's how I have a very strong suspicion that the walls on one side of our house have ZERO insulation. I could be wrong, but after watching his show and the types of things that builders do I wouldn't be surprised.

Spray-in insulation rocks! That's so cool and I wish I had that.

 

Here is the update:

I had washington homes come and inspect . I did that because there was a history of heating issues in one of my rooms , they partially fixed and I gave up as it got slightly better.

This inspector figured out what the problem is . Builder wont fix it anymore as we passed 1st year . so the issue is this : There is more than 2 cm gap between the concrete . where the flr meets wall. and without filling that up , a shoe moulding is placed. so that gap is not visible.

He suggested that we get some concrete caulking done inside that. we got it done last week end and there is soo much difference we don't shiver in family room /master bed room anymore .

When we went to home depot to buy that caulk , sale person suggested a rope type material ( sorry dont know the exact name) , to put in the gap before caulking . We did that too.

 

no my master bedroom is on the main floor.. like an extension on one side.

if air is leaking in from one wall .. wouldn't the room be freezing ? Before this concrete caulking , we could not walk in to that room , without shivering. in summer it is too hot and in winter it is too cold ( when compared to the rest of the home , there was a seventeen (17) degree temp difference. It was even worse before .We fought so much with the builder in the first year, every time they blamed on the model, saying for this model all 3 sides it is open outside the wall etc etc.. finally when we escalated to the president, he came down checked and figured some pipes were crushed in the attic so heat is not flowing in , that made it some what better and got us to 17 degrees difference.

We stopped sleeping in that room long back. we only use the upstairs 3 bedrooms.

The air leak was so bad that , if we put hand near to the flr-wall intersection , we could feel the air ( not coldness) in the family room . The we did the same in master bedroom and found out something else is also wrong. . The only reason we found out all this is because, we happened throw our furniture and lived with out any furniture in family room for 2 months.. my daughter who sat there playing said mommy it is like fan here


okay sorry for the long post ..

Hey Eric BTW , I think I saw you in Hillside elm school.. My child goes there to KG .. will write PM separately on this