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Posted by on Feb 12, 2010 in Lifestyle, TG Roundup

Insulate Outlets and Switches to Cut Down on Heat Loss

[Via – Lifehacker]

Power outlets and light switches can be a point of cold-air entry in your home but you can inexpensively and easily plug the leak. Check out this guide to see how.

It might seem like a trivial thing, those tiny drafts you feel—especially in older homes—around outlets and light switches. Multiple those tiny drafts by every single outlet and switch in the houe however and you’ve got a prety substantial leak.

Over at the home-centric blog Re-Nest they have a quick tutorial on how to insulate your outlets and switches. You’ll need some inexpensive foam plate seals—seen in the above right photo—a screw driver to open the plates, and if you’ve got significant gaps between the edge of the wire box and the wall you’ll definitely want a can of expanding foam or a tube of insulating caulk to fill the space. Check out the full guide at Re-Nest including tips on using your insulation to help reduce noise.

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