Air Sealing Products

Air sealing is a great do-it-yourself task, if done right. If you're going to DIY it, be sure to take your time and have your work tested with a blower door before covering it up. Here's stuff we use. 

I'm working on a detailed air sealing guide. Sign up here if you want to be notified about its progress. 

Foam It Green 602 Board Foot Closed Cell Spray Foam Insulation Kit

There really is no substitute for 2 part foam for air sealing. It covers everything you want to seal and will bend and flex over time (if applied correctly.)

Be sure you keep the chemicals warm, preferably 80F+. Wear a full face mask if you're spraying. Ventilate well with fans and open windows.

A rule of thumb is that if you need more than one kit, hire a foam contractor. They can spray it for the same or slightly more and high pressure spray foam is far superior to low pressure kits like this.

​Artistore Foaming Gun

No matter how you do a project, you're going to have a few spots that need single part foam. Single part is really good for small areas or places you don't want to make a mess.

I use it for touch up once professional spray foam has been applied, I view the project as a success if it requires less than one can.

This is by far the least expensive gun I've found. At big boxes (the orange one kind around here) these guns are ~$50. At under $20 you don't have to be nice to it, and every job justifies having one.

This one is just ok, sometimes the threads don't seat perfectly on the cans and foam leaks out until it seals itself. I haven't found a brand that won't fit on it.

Despite the imperfections, it's $17, so I just buy two, one for Fireblock Foam, one for Window and Door Foam. If one breaks, no biggie. It should last 6-12 months though. Maybe longer.

I leave the can on against most recommendations. If you take the can off be sure to flush it like crazy with cleaner (which is acetone, not the easiest stuff to dispose of.)

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Great Stuff Pro Fireblock Gun Foam

This is the workhorse of single part foam. It's a "fireblock" which means it can be used to seal holes between floors like plumbing, electrical, and duct work.

As I post this, it's $15.52. That's a mediocre deal, you can often get it for $10-12 at the orange big box building store.

Buy a few extra cans, it's far better to have an extra can or two than to run out.

Brand doesn't matter that much, there are small differences pros matter, but as a homeowner just buy what you can find locally. It all works on the same gun across the brands I've used.

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Great Stuff Pro Window and Door
Gun Foam

Regular gun foam will warp windows and doors. If you seal around a window with it open, it may stay that way because the foam exerts 8-10 PSI as it cures.

Instead, use window and door foam like this. Be gentle still, don't overfill. The rule of thumb is to fill the rough opening gap about 1/3.  This will help keep you out of trouble.

Sealing the rough opening around windows is critical at install. It will reduce moisture problems, but more importantly leakage around windows can be half the energy loss (and cause of comfort complaints).

Commercial Electric 4 Pack 5/6" LED Recessed Light Retrofit Kits

Recessed lights are horrifically leaky. Even the "air tight" ones still leak. Install these, then caulk the trim ring to the ceiling. Presto! Air sealed. 

Easy, quick, and inexpensive. These kits were $60 each 5 years ago. All the options for sealing recessed lights stunk. Now we have this great solution.

I've used these exact ones, they have nice light (2700K warm white) and look nice. 

Cree LED 5/6" Recessed Light
​Retrofit Kit

Cree focuses exclusively on LEDs. I haven't had a bad experience with their products yet. This model is my go to product, or was before I discovered the Commercial Electric one. 

These have a very high 90+ Color Rendering Index (CRI), which is light quality. More info about color temperature and CRI in the Lighting Guide.

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Chimney Lock Top 09120

Chimney flues don't seal well. They just don't. If you notice cold air coming out of your fireplace, you know this to be true.

This is the solution, a spring loaded seal on top of your chimney with a steel cable to operate it from below. You might consider the model with a cage to keep birds out.

If you barely use your fireplace (1 time per year) you might buy a chimney balloon. Those are a bit flimsy but much less expensive and fine if you will leave it in the chimney. If you use it a lot, get a lock top. 

It's an advanced DIY product and you'll need a big ladder. 

Zero Toys Wizard Stick Smoker

Yes, it's a toy, but it's also a tool. Use it to test for air leaks on windy days or with a blower door. The smoke is non-toxic, not all smoke is.

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AM Conservation Group 84" Door Weatherstrip Kit KC600W-84

This is one of my favorite products. It lets you seal old warped doors almost as well as new ones. Considering new exterior doors start at $1000 installed, this is much cheaper.

The fat weatherstrip on this and flexible aluminum lets you make up for really crooked doors but still get a good air seal.

Use it with a door sweep, preferably on the outside so this seal and the sweep cover all four sides of the door on one side. 

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Duct Mastic by Design Polymerics

Use this to seal your ductwork. Only after you have the static pressure tested (or test it yourself using products in Advanced Tools.)

Don't buy this here, though, get it locally. It will probably be less expensive. Look for it in the duct work section at your favorite home improvement store.

M-D Building Products 71548 Replaceable Cord Weatherstrip

This is rope caulk. You can seal up old windows or the like for winter, then remove it in spring. Or not. It remains flexible.

Durovent Attic Ventilation Baffle

I don't really like this design, but it's the only ventilation baffle on Amazon. Buy them locally and save the freight. Use the polystyrene ones not the cardboard ones. Cardboard eventually fails as it gets wet and dries out. 

We use these as part of our top plate air sealing technique, which will be in the upcoming air sealing guide. Sign up here to find out when it's available.