How To Seal An Attic Opening

Cut 1 3 boards to fit the perimeter of the opening and nail them on with 6d finish nails.

How to seal an attic opening.

Adhere batt insulation to the top panel of the box. From inside the attic check for any openings holes or fenestrations into the knee wall surrounding area. But you can note it in your report to cover your own back. Air seal the hatch perimeter the plywood hatch rests on a small wood strip lip.

Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. Attics aren t meant to be permanently sealed no matter what a builder or homeowner tells you. Insulate the cover with rigid foam that is glued in place or batt insulation that is mechanically fastened e g with wires and screws. Add weather stripping or gasket material to the frame or attic access panel.

Apply a bead of caulk on the inside and outside edges of the trim and then reattach it. Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping. The standard air sealing recommendation is to install a compression bulb weatherstrip. For air sealing add caulk if the gap between the rough opening and frame is less than 1 2 inch.

If you re prohibited from entering the attic there s not much that you can do about it. Install a gasket around attic access openings to air seal between the opening and the panel covering. Where possible take the additional measures and enter a sealed up attic space. The stops provide a wider surface for attaching the weatherstrip and a space to mount hook and eye fasteners.

If the gap is larger use nonexpanding foam in addition to the caulk. Apply weather stripping to the door to create a seal. Apply self adhesive foam weatherstrip tape to the top edge of the stop. Once the fiberglass insulation is in place follow the directions on the can to foam the space around the pipe.

If the space around your plumbing pipe is wider than 3 inches you may need to stuff some fiberglass insulation into the space to serve as a backer for the expanding foam. Stuff gaps with insulation. When you re done sealing your attic bypasses push the insulation back into place with an old broom handle or stick as you back out of the attic. Air seal attic access panels and drop down stairs to minimize air leakage.

It should rest squarely on top of the stairway frame. Once you have the materials you can begin to seal and insulate the knee wall access door through these steps.