Seal Seams Around Lights And Vents In Attic For Insulation

If you are creative you can also use spray foam to glue your boxes together.

Seal seams around lights and vents in attic for insulation.

To apply insulation measure the circumference of the duct and use a utility knife to cut foil faced fiberglass insulation to the proper size add a couple of inches so the ends can be drawn together easily. Add or remove insulation from the bag as necessary to ensure it fits. Apply a bead of caulk or adhesive around the opening. Now plug the open stud spaces photos 1 and 2 and seal the top of the cavities with reflective foil photo 3.

Now it will be safe to heap insulation onto that spot. Cut a 24 inch long piece from a batt of iberglass insulation and place it at the bottom of a 13 gallon plastic garbage bag. Use a continuous strip of foil tape to seal off all longitudinal seams along the straight runs of the duct. Up in the attic clean the ceiling surface around each fixture slit the cover to accommodate the electrical cable and place the cover over the fixture.

Seal fireplace and furnace holes. You can seal large stud cavities in your attic around dropped soffits under kneewalls and around recessed lights by stuffing insulation into a garbage bag and then plugging the cavity with it. You can stem the flow of air and money by air sealing your light fixtures from the inside with just a roll of painter s tape a can of spray foam insulation and a tube of painter s caulk. Notch a hole for your wire and spray foam around the bottom and any gaps in the box.

Apply the sealant around the cable and along the edge of the cover where it rests on the ceiling. So if you have a 4 inch wide by 8 inch tall light you would 10x10x11 box. Soffits may be filled with insulation or covered with cardboard or fiberglass batts. To seal these openings use caulk or spray foam.

Then use a paintbrush to apply duct mastic to the joints where an elbow connects to a duct. If you have recessed light fixtures in your home you may also have a significant volume of conditioned air escaping into your attic. There is no need to remove and replace it. If you have blown insulation a small rake can be helpful to level it back into place.

Although the insulation is dirty it is still okay to use. For larger holes filler material may be needed. Cover the area with insulation again when you re done. Push back the insulation and scoop it out of the soffits.

After sealing the areas just push the insulation back into place. Attic air sealing and air barriers prior to insulation all gaps cracks seams and penetrations between conditioned and unconditioned space such as gaps around lighting fixtures hvac duct boots electric wiring plumbing pipes and flues shall be sealed with sealants alone e g caulk foam aerosol sealant if the gaps are narrow enough or with rigid blocking material sealed in place with sealants per the sealant manufacturer s instructions. Seal the foil to the frame with the caulk adhesive and staple or nail it in place if needed. Use expanding foam or caulk to seal the openings around plumbing vent pipes and electrical wires.