How best to fill this draught hole in meter cupboard

[Sard]

Hi all,

I have this horrid hole in the electric meter cupboard and I get horrible draughts in through and it passes around the back of the kitchen cupboards and kickboards. Any suggestions on how best to plug this so I can limit the draughts coming through?

 

[Munroast]

bung some chicken wire mesh stuff in then pack it with plaster or squirt some expanding foam into the mesh

 

[^woody^]

Is that an asbestos (AIB) lining board?

If so, just duct tape it and walk away.

 

[Sard]

Is that an asbestos (AIB) lining board?

If so, just duct tape it and walk away.

Property was built in 1998. Any way I can be certain?

 

[^woody^]

It's not a plastic meter box is it, like one the outside of the house?

If it's a made up cupboard inside then it is potentially asbestos as it fits the location and time period for usage. In which case the only way to be sure is to have it sampled and tested, but you should presume it is for now.

 

[Sard]

oh, sorry I should have given a better description. It is outside the house, in the white plastic (?) cupboard identical to our gas meter cupboard.

 

[^woody^]

It will be plastic then if its a meter box set into a wall.

 

[Sard]

great, thank you for clarifying. On the draught issue, I guess the best method would be to spray foam until its packed out?

 

[^woody^]

I'd still just duct tape it, there might be a bit of a deep hole behind it

 

[Sard]

Thanks. I'm redoing my kitchen which is on the other side of this wall, so I'll have a closer look at it when the units are off and look to close any draughts from both sides.

 

[Nozzle]

Don't put expanding foam in there, it's 'melts' the PVC over the coming years. Or sheeth the cable with something else first.

Nozzle

 

[Sard]

Don't put expanding foam in there, it's 'melts' the PVC over the coming years. Or sheeth the cable with something else first.

Nozzle

I believe that's a myth. I rang Soudal on that they confirmed there were no adverse effects, I even wrote in the forum about it.

https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/...around-electrical-socket.554627/#post-4752438

 

[^woody^]

I thought it was only EPS (white polystyrene) that reacts with the cable sheathing, not all foams generally.

 

[jacko555]

I'd stuff a handful of loft insulation in the hole and seal with duck tape

 

[phatboy]

I thought it was only EPS (white polystyrene) that reacts with the cable sheathing, not all foams generally.

We have graphite EPS, and I think it does the same thing

I'd stuff a handful of loft insulation in the hole and seal with duck tape

Yeah same here, I filled a few holes in our floors around services with rockwool