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Community and Q&A

Air Sealing Breaker Box

pshyvers | Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on

Like many people, I have a breaker box in my attached garage. I wish to fully seal the garage-house interface, and have gone through sealing most of the holes and cracks already.

However, what is the best way to seal the breaker box? I can seal the edge of the panel with caulk. I can spray foam the drywall-box gap. But all of this compromises servicability, and there’s still so many remaining pathways through the wire knockouts in the box.

I have contemplated a thin ring of weather stripping between the panel and the wall, and between the door and the panel. This seems like it might be my best option. The hinges, screw holes, and latch will leak, but it might be the best I can do.

Is there material on propertly air sealing breaker boxes that I have missed, or standard techniques I haven’t heard about?

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Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Pshyvers,
    Breaker boxes are tough. I don't have any great, easy-to-explain solutions.

    Perhaps some day, an equipment manufacturer will develop an airtight breaker box. There's a market for such a device.

  2. josh_in_mn | | #2

    Perhaps use a bunch of putty pads on the back side of the box, presuming you have access.

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