# Moving plugs in an exterior wall



## DPWK (Nov 27, 2015)

Hey guys,

I'm a commercial/industrial guy by experience, but I was offered a side gig by a friend here in town doing some residential remodeling. 

The homeowner needs to move two receptacles in his living room that are on an exterior wall. The house was built in 1953. Should I be worried about vapor barrier? Was it even installed back then? This is Canada by the way. 

Even if there was vapor barrier, is cutting in a new box going to completely ruin the vapor barrier, or am I better off taking out a larger section of drywall and patching the vapor barrier appropriately? 

My other concern was asbestos, but I think I'll leave that for another post. 

Thanks for any help you can offer. :thumbsup:


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

Expanding foam in a can.


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## Dark Knight (Jan 6, 2016)

It depends what they want I guess. I can cut a new plug into an outside wall and fish a wire in from the attic or the basement and it'll look like the plug was always there. Except for the vapour barrier. IMO, once you start mucking around with it you'll never get it back to perfect. So if they're worried about it they can cut the wall open, I can add the plug and then they can fix the VB and patch the drywall. 

Personally, I'm not worried about it. I'm not convinced a house should be airtight anyway, not that it'll ever be anyway. So a little extra air flow around a new plug or switch isn't going to matter much. A house from the 50's should have a VB, but it's probably done with seran wrap and looks like swiss cheese. If they're not fixing the entire thing, I wouldn't worry about your little spot.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

The old vapor barrier method here was the roofing paper stapled around the outside of the house in two or three loops. After tyvek came along that died out.


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## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)

This is not a big deal. Can you get to the circuits from basement? If so, Just cut in your new locations and fish up from there. Either blank them off or demo and foam (old locations). Cutting in a new box shouldn't even affect the exterior.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Chances are the only VB is the old paper attached to the batts. I might think about cutting the drywall big enough to accomodate a Nutek gasketed box. At least then you have a seal against the new drywall.


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## PokeySmokey (Nov 14, 2017)

DPWK said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm a commercial/industrial guy by experience, but I was offered a side gig by a friend here in town doing some residential remodeling.
> 
> ...


"My other concern was asbestos, but I think I'll leave that for another post. "
In 1953 they used Gypsum lath and Plaster; not drywall. If the wall is gypsum lath and plaster, the plaster may contain some asbestos.

If the house was not built for electric heating and is a solid masonry house, chances are there is likely no insulation or vapour barrier in the exterior wall. If the house is a stick built house such as brick veneer and/or clad siding; then it will have some insulation and possibly a vapour barrier.

A quick check is to remove the receptacle plate and check the depth of the box. Usually solid masonry house the outside wall not electrically heated was strapped with 1 X 2's and the outlets were housed in shallow boxes (1 1/2 inches deep); no insulation. Better built custom houses solid masonry houses were strapped with 2 X 2's and sometimes with 2 X 3's. these ones will have some insulation and possibly a vapour barrier. The outlets were likely housed in standard 1104 boxes (2 1/2 inches deep).
You can often see the vapour barrier at the edge of the box when you remove the cover.

If the wall is finished with drywall and has a vapour barrier and was not built for electric heat; it has been remodeled likely after the mid 1960's. Even then is was rare to see a vapour barrier if the house was heated by anything but electricity.

"The homeowner needs to move two receptacles in his living room that are on an exterior wall. The house was built in 1953. Should I be worried about vapor barrier? Was it even installed back then? This is Canada by the way."

If you find a vapour barrier, cut the opening a little larger (about 1 inch) without cutting the vapour barrier. Fill the space left by the receptacle and box removed and fill it with similar insulation. Get a small tube of acoustic caulking and caulking gun. Run a bead of acoustic caulking around the exposed vapour barrier and cut a piece of new vapour barrier (Small vapour barrier repair are available at most building supplies.) a little larger than required to cover the opening you made. Press the new piece of vapour barrier against the existing vapour barrier on the acoustic caulking to create a seal.

Now it is ready to be closed in with a wall patch kit.

If you are not comfortable doing the repairs make sure the owner knows that any damage and repairs is their responsibility. Best way is a written estimate.

Even if you do the repairs you must give the owner a written estimate including you are not responsible to match the paint or other wall finish; otherwise you could be in big trouble.


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## DPWK (Nov 27, 2015)

Wow, super detailed reply. Thank you so much! Merry Christmas!


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Tuck Tape. You don't need acoustical sealant.


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

DPWK said:


> The house was built in 1953. Should I be worried about vapor barrier?


Probably not. 

My house built in '64 leaks like a sieve . There would be no vapor barrier on the outlet boxes anyway. It's winter go and feel a couple... exterior electrical boxes that is.

You can get some nice foamy gaskets for the cover plates to stop the draught << draft for the US folks.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

daveEM said:


> Probably not.
> 
> My house built in '64 leaks like a sieve . There would be no vapor barrier on the outlet boxes anyway. It's winter go and feel a couple... exterior electrical boxes that is.
> 
> You can get some nice foamy gaskets for the cover plates to stop the draught << draft for the US folks.


Isn't draught beer, Dave?


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## daveEM (Nov 18, 2012)

99cents said:


> Isn't draught beer, Dave?


British for draft.  Mom was English.


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