Many home owners do not know this, the power outlets on your home are actually air leaks. The amount of air leakage may be small, but multiplied by the number of power outlets at your home, the amount can be substantial.
During cold weather, you may not be able to feel the cold air coming in through the power outlets, but your thermostat will feel it.
In order to maintain the ambient temperature, the thermostat will make the heater run longer and harder thus costing you money.
When a house is built, throughout the power outlet electrical boxes, the insulation goes around it and there’s only about 2 inches thick. That is not enough to retain much heat.
How do you check for air leaks from power outlets?
You’ll need to get the TLD100 thermal detection device from Black & Decker.
Shine the TLD100 about 1 foot away from the power outlet to get a temperature reference. Go around the outlet cover and see where the light turns blue. That shows the area is colder due to cold air seeping in.
Note down what is the temperature difference. If it is more than 3 to 5 degree, you’ll need to seal it.
How do you prevent air from coming in through the power outlet?
You can solve that problem very easily and cheaply.
Get some of those baby safety plugs that you put into the outlet holes so babies won’t be able to put their fingers in and get electrocuted.
Believe it or not, putting the plugs into the outlet really do help to prevent air seepage. These safety plugs are very cheap. You can get them from Amazon.com.
When you’ve sealed the outlet, use the TLD100 again and check the temperature difference. There shouldn’t be much temperature variance now.
Where can you get the Black & Decker TLD100?
You can get it also from Amazon.com with free shipping.
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