[JustinS]

Did searches and was surprised to not find 10 threads on this already.


I will be double drywalling, probably with Green Glue, but am concerned about sound leakage through the outlets, most especially the one in the ceiling.


Other than making sure there is insulation behind/above the outlet and going around the edge with acoustical caulk, what else can I do?


Thanks!

 

[PAP]

Well AFAIK the ideal solution is to not have outlets.


What i mean by that is if you put the outlets in the room rather than in the walls you'll avoid the holes altogether.


What i'm doing is putting my outlets in columns or for back behind the screen just surface mounting them. That way the only perforations in the room are very small areas where the wires come in. The actual outlets are run inside columns.


Just one idea. If you do your drywall very carefully and caulk all around your box, it's the next best thing.

 

[brickie]

I believe you can buy rubber outlet gaskets as well made to fit outlets.


brickie

 

[R_Willis]

Apply some JM Clipper Duxseal to the back where any wires come in/out of the box. Not only will this help with sealing potential sould leaking, it'll help fireproof the box in-case of a short inside of the box.

 

[Brian Ravnaas]

i saw a gentlemans theater where the outlets were "mass loaded" with large amounts of acoustic caulk. worth a thought, perhaps

 

[RajeeK]

I used firestop putty pads to completely seal them up from the back side. See picture below.


The front sides I also sealed around the edges totally with acoustical caulk. Sorry, no pics of that.

 

[Marc Ye]

Try the Lesco Air-Vapor Barrior Box. Visit their website at www.lessco-airtight.com or call them at 920-533-8690.

 

[Brian Hampton]

Hey,


If nothing else you could buy some of the child proofing stuff for un-used outlets to seal the front of them.


-Brian

 

[rynberg]

Wrapping the back of the outlet with an outlet/fireproofing pad combined with sealing the edges of the penetration airtight is the best solution. For larger openings (breaker box for example), you will want to back the box with gypsum board.

 

[JustinS]

I take it from its name that the Firestop pads are actually fireproof? Oddly, the website for them doesn't say.


Thanks for all the great info everyone.

 

[Rutgar]

Quote:

RajeeK wrote: I used firestop putty pads to completely seal them up. See picture below.

Looks like it would work. But, how would you do this with new construction of an outside wall where you can't get behind the sheetrock and wall outlet, due to the brick already being in place?

 

[BasementBob]

Rutgar:


Cut out a brick, fiddle, then place a new brick ?


Or if you're like me: cut out a brick, realize you're about four feet away from the electrical outlet, cut out another brick, fiddle with putty packs, then place two new bricks.


Alternatively you can go at it from the inside, by making a hole in the drywall and then patching it.

 

[Rutgar]

Cut out bricks? Wow, did you really do that?


Actually, what you said did give me an idea. I suppose that you could sheetrock in a way, that as you placed the sheetrock, you could seal the back of the outlet as you go, making sure to maintain rear access until the last piece of sheetrock is placed.

 

[BasementBob]

Rutgar:
Quote:

Cut out bricks? Wow, did you really do that?

Actually it's easy. Don't cut the brick, scratch out the mortar. Then the brick just falls out. It's the putting the brick back that's tricky.

 

[Ted White]

Check it out:

http://tedwhite.homestead.com/files/butterbox.jpg

http://tedwhite.homestead.com/files/...d_elec_box.jpg

 

[RajeeK]

Quote:

I take it from its name that the Firestop pads are actually fireproof?

Check out this link below. Read #4 it descibes what the putty pads do in a fire.

http://www.firestop.com/productssheets/pdsputtypads.pdf