Sealing Attic Hatch

Carefully pull down the finish trim.

Sealing attic hatch.

If you don t already have wooden boards surrounding the perimeter of the opening you can cut some 1 3 boards and nail them into place with 6d nails. Diy sealing the attic hatch seal trim to ceiling create air tight seal between hatch and trim. The insulation will both slow heat loss and add ballast to the hatch to improve the seal at the weatherstripping. The stops provide a wider surface for attaching the weatherstrip and a space to mount hook and eye fasteners.

If there are indications of erratic air movement coming from your attic hatch replacement weatherstripping is necessary. How to insulate and air seal an attic access hatch. Remove your existing attic hatch and measure its size. 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.

Cut four pieces of polystyrene rigid insulation about 1 2 inch smaller than the dimensions of the hatch. If your hatch rests directly on the moldings like ours did add 2 1 2 in wide stops around the opening. From inside the attic check for any openings holes or fenestrations into the knee wall surrounding area. Apply weather stripping to the door to create a seal.

Proper attic insulation and complete air sealing is the solution a complete thermal envelope separates every conditioned interior space of your home from outdoor and unconditioned spaces such as your garage and attic with a layer of insulation. 2 thick foam board 4 8 sheet with an r value of 10 or greater 15 foam weather stripping the wider the better 1 can great stuff foam or similar 1 tube liquid nail or other construction adhesive 8 16 penny nails misc. If the attic hatch rests on the molding you should add 2 1 2 inch stops around the entire opening. Then finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking foam weatherstrip photos 10 and 11.

Once you have the materials you can begin to seal and insulate the knee wall access door through these steps. Every thermal envelope is different. Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping. You can also inspect the weatherstripping and molding around your attic door to see if it is damaged.

Pray that the installer used finish nails and not say ring shank nails. Apply your weatherstripping to the top of the new wood stops. If your hatch rests directly on the moldings add 2 1 2 inch wide stops around the opening.