Erik north the owner of free energy maine is an energy auditor and home performance specialist in westbrook maine.
How do you insulate an attic hatch.
If you have pull down attic stairs or an attic door these should be sealed in a similar manner.
He is also the author of the energy auditing blog.
After market attic hatch insulating products.
To reduce energy loss and enhance a home s durability there are several prefabricated systems designed to insulate attic access hatches and to prevent drafts through them.
You insulate your home to reduce temperature fluctuations and save on utility bills but then you allow fresh air to flow through the attic no.
Insulate and air seal your attic hatch to save money and improve your house s comfort.
This video will show you the best way to insulate your pull down attic stairs.
Cut two pieces of foam board that are about 1 4 smaller than the hatch.
Once you have the appropriate materials you can start the process of sealing and insulating the attic hatch.
While you are up there learn how to inspect and seal air duct leaks.
An attic hatch also known as a scuttle hole is simply a panel in the ceiling that can be removed for access.
In addition there are many do it yourself methods and materials available for customized thermal sealing of attic openings.
Learn more below about how to insulate your attic door.
Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing.
Cut a piece of fiberglass or rigid foam board insulation the same size as the attic hatch and nail or glue it to the back of the hatch.
Fortunately there are kits available to insulate these kind of doors.
Install the weather stripping onto the hatch or on the inside of the trim.
Weatherstrip the edges and put a piece of rigid foam board insulation on the back of the door.
At first glance it can seem counter intuitive.
Despite both of these attic doors being easy to insulate many contractors don t do it.
Treat your attic door as if it was a door leading to the outdoors.