How To Insulate And Air Seal Pull Down Attic Stairs

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.

How to insulate and air seal pull down attic stairs.

If you have pull down attic stairs or an attic door these should be sealed in a similar manner. The battic door attic stairs cover. Affix the fiberglass insulation to the top of the box. Several companies sell prefacbricated foam or fabric enclosures or tents designed to reduce air leaks and heat loss at attic stairs.

A pulldown stairs is a real convenient way to get from your house to the attic. Since with attic insulation we gun for a pretty high standard at least r 49 the coffin insulation should match. Create a box using the foam board. Clean and wash the floor around the attic door.

Apply a bead of caulk around the entire inner edge to help seal it entirely. 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. If the gap is less than 1 2. Attach foam tape weather stripping to the top edge of the box to form a tighter seal.

Use caulk to air seal between the frame and opening. Cut two strips of 1 2 inch wide self adhesive rubber weatherstrip the length of the longest sides of the frame with scissors. Tape the lid to the top of the box along one of the long edges with foil tape. If your hatch rests directly on the moldings like ours did add 2 1 2 in wide stops around the.

At least 4 of foil faced polyisocyanurate should be glued to the box though 6 or 8 isn t uncommon. Then finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking foam weatherstrip photos 10 and 11. Pull down the door and extend the stairs down to the floor. Use foil tape along the entire edge to hold it in place.

Once you have the materials you can follow these steps to seal the attic pull down stairs. Clean the floor around the attic stairs so the tape will adhere well. Insulate add insulation to the exterior of the plywood box. Products designed to seal or insulate attic stairs.

Make sure the box fits squarely over the access. Place your constructed box in place and begin to tape it down to the floor. The problem is they re not very well insulated and you can really be losing a lot of heat if you don t have the.