Product Review of Great Stuff: Insulating Your Home and Saving Money
Great Stuff comes in spray cans with long, thin straws that allow you to apply it very precisely. By applying Great Stuff in dozens of possible areas, you can insulate your home far more adequately against air leaks and loss. Sealing up these gaps and cracks can result in energy savings from 5% to 30% per year!
Great Stuff expands as it dries, and is suitable for use on gaps or cracks up to half an inch in diameter (there are other kinds of Great Stuff available for larger gaps.) Great Stuff expands as it dries, so only a small amount needs to be sprayed into a gap or crack, and the foam will expand into every part of the gap as it sets, thoroughly blocking drafts. After it dries, Great Stuff is water resistant, and can be trimmed with a knife or razor, and even painted over!
When insulating your home with Great Stuff, you have many possibilities for reducing unwanted drafts and air loss.
In the living areas of your home:
– Seal all gaps around window and door frames. These are one of the worst sources of lost heating and cooling energy.
– Seal gaps along baseboards, where the wall meets the floor. Cold air sinks and flows along low areas.
– Seal gaps or cracks around electrical sockets. An amazing amount of warm or cool air is lost here!
Around appliances:
– Seal all gaps where pipes enter walls or floors, and especially around any area where a pipe or duct is passing through an outside wall. Leaks around dryer vents are a prime culprit for energy loss through air leaks!
In the attic or basement:
– Seal the gaps around conduits, cable television lines, and any other areas where a line or utility enters the home through an outside wall or drilled hole.
– Seal gaps between floors, joists, rafters, and other pieces of your home’s construction. This greatly improves your home’s insulation.
Remember, Great Stuff is a chemical polyurethane product, and sensible precautions should be taken when working with Great Stuff. Don’t smoke or work around open flame while using Great Stuff, wear a pair of gloves, and put down a drop cloth or newspapers if you are concerned about spills or mistakes. However, Great Stuff is as easy to use as a can of compressed spray air, and if you follow the instructions, you should have no problems. Great Stuff can be purchased at any hardware or home needs store, such as Home Depot or Lowe’s, and is usually available in the tools and maintenance section of any large store, such as Wal-Mart. Great Stuff is a great choice for insulating your home and eliminating the air leaks responsible for a significant portion of your energy bill.
Sources:
U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: Your Home: Link
Great Stuff Website: Link
