How to Insulate Around a Ceiling Fixture Outlet Box in an Attic

When you're weatherproofing your home, the small details can make a big difference in the overall energy efficiency of your home. It's not uncommon for small areas to be overlooked during construction or weatherproofing. One such area is a ceiling-fixture outlet box that's directly below an attic. With some simple materials and techniques, you can improve the insulation around this type of outlet box.

Tape measure
Keyhole saw
Work gloves
Dust mask
Ruler
Batt insulation
Utility knife

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off power to the electrical box.
- 2
  Locate the outlet box in the floor of the attic. If the attic floor is uncovered, this isn't too hard. If the floor has boards on it, measure the location of the box relative to landmarks like the outside walls, and use a keyhole saw to cut out a piece of floorboard in the attic.
- 3
  Put on work gloves and a dust mask.
- 4
  Measure the open space around the box with a ruler. Measure from the outside edge of the box to the support holding the box in place. In an attic, the box is usually screwed into a joist.
- 5
  Cut strips of insulation from a roll of batt insulation with a utility knife. Make the pieces slightly wider than the space you measured.
- 6
  Stuff the strips of insulation into the gaps between the outlet box and the existing insulation. Replace the floorboards, if necessary. Restore the power.

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