How To Seal Attic Access Hatch

Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping.

How to seal attic access hatch.

Air seal the trim the first step is air sealing the finish trim and enclosure around the attic hatch. From inside the attic check for any openings holes or fenestrations into the knee wall surrounding area. How to seal knee wall doors. Apply weather stripping to the door to create a seal.

If your hatch rests directly on the moldings add 2 1 2 inch wide stops around the opening. How to insulate and air seal an attic access hatch. Cut four pieces of polystyrene rigid insulation about 1 2 inch smaller than the dimensions of the hatch. Use spray foam to air seal these.

Cut 1 3 boards to fit the perimeter of the opening and nail them on with 6d finish nails. Apply self adhesive foam weatherstrip tape to the top edge of the stop. Pray that the installer used finish nails and not say ring shank nails. The insulation will both slow heat loss and add ballast to the hatch to improve the seal at the weatherstripping.

Affix foam insulation to. Carefully pull down the finish trim. Remove your existing attic hatch and measure its size. The stops provide a wider surface for attaching the weatherstrip and a space to mount hook and eye fasteners.