How To Seal Attic Opening

Apply self adhesive foam weatherstrip tape to the top edge of the stop.

How to seal attic opening.

Air seal attic access panels and drop down stairs to minimize air leakage. 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. Apply a bead of caulk or adhesive around the opening.

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. If your hatch rests directly on the moldings add 2 1 2 inch wide stops around the opening. Most people just add insulation to their attic this will not stop the escaping warm air. If the weatherstripping was fastened with nails or screws more time will be needed to remove all of the fasteners.

Inspect the weatherstripping gaskets around the attic hatch opening if they seem dried out or damaged remove them before replacing them. When the attic becomes part of the home to be heated and cooled open wall gable vents and roof vents are no longer feasible but the underside of the roof the sheathing and rafters can still. Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping. If the gap is larger use nonexpanding foam in addition to the caulk.

Seal the foil to the frame with the caulk or adhesive and staple or nail it in place if needed. Finished rooms built into attics often have open cavities in the floor framing under the sidewalls or kneewalls. For air sealing add caulk if the gap between the rough opening and frame is less than 1 2 inch. Usually you can just pull them away from the frame.

Without air sealing your attic you are allowing warm air to escape from your home carrying with it your hard earned winter heating money. If you re prohibited from entering the attic there s not much that you can do about it. If you have a finished attic seal behind the kneewalls. Cut 1 3 boards to fit the perimeter of the opening and nail them on with 6d finish nails.

Adhere batt insulation to the top panel of the box. It should rest squarely on top of the stairway frame. Where possible take the additional measures and enter a sealed up attic space. Add weather stripping or gasket material to the frame or attic access panel.