Help! Awkward space behind cupboards...


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Old 01-17-14, 11:14 AM
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Help! Awkward space behind cupboards...

Hey All-

I've isolated the draftiness in my place to an area that's seemingly impossible to reach... so I'm hoping someone has some advice for what to do. Here are a few pictures to show you what I'm talking about.

Picture #1: The area from afar (to the side of the cupboards)

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Picture #2: Closer view of the area in question

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Picture #3: The area close-up (as you can see it's a black hole for random stuff that falls back there)

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I tried the caulk gun-straw technique, any other ideas to stop the cold air from coming in?

Thanks everyone.
 
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Old 01-17-14, 11:45 AM
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Is the air coming in from underneath the window (between the frame and the bricks)?If so, some minimal expanding foam might help.Also check on the exterior of the house to see if you can caulk , fill or foam there.


If the air is coming in from floor level, or in the corner, I'd suggest:

More "caulk and straw" (BTW, I like that term!). and/or:

Fill the area with rigid insulation, possibly combined with foam-up to the window bottom, put a "cap" and a front strip of wood painted or stained to blend in with the cabinets. (In other words, fill that space in with insulation, and cover it up to make it look nice.

Also check in the basement, and again on the exterior of the house to see if you can caulk , fill or foam there.

Good luck!
 
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Old 01-19-14, 10:04 AM
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I'm on the 3rd floor of a 3-story condo building, so exterior & basement will be challenging.

To answer the question about where specifically the draft is coming from, it's definitely the floor level and corner.
 
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Old 01-19-14, 10:31 AM
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I'm on the 3rd floor of a 3-story condo building, so exterior & basement will be challenging.

To answer the question about where specifically the draft is coming from, it's definitely the floor level and corner.

OK, so try the "fill in the area" approach.
 
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Old 01-20-14, 10:00 AM
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Somehow (probably my terrible keyboard skills) my last post (#4) "erased" the following:

If you know and get along with your downstairs neighbors, you might ask them if they have any air infiltration problems in their unit, at the ceiling below where you have your problem.
Either way, if you can see the exterior of your unit from the ground, can you see anything that might contribute to your problem? (cracks in the exterior wall/bricks?,bathroom fan vents, kitchen vents,etc. ) I'm not sure how that might help, but if there is something that is repairable, you could make management aware of the situation.

Again, good luck!
 
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Old 01-20-14, 02:15 PM
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I would probably remove the 3" face frame filler by unscrewing it to allow easier access. You could also build an insulated end panel to slip in there before you put the filler back on.
 
 

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