Insulating Your Attic Hatch
So what to do.
Insulating your attic hatch. Weatherstrip the edges and put a piece of rigid foam board insulation on the back of the door. This industry leading air seal eliminates drafts in winter and hot spots in summer lowering heating and cooling bills. First install foam weather stripping on the inside of the trim or directly onto the hatch. Insulating the attic hatch here s a real quick solution.
If the attic hatch rests on the molding you should add 2 1 2 inch stops around the entire opening. An attic hatch can have finished trim and paint look perfect and still be a giant heat sink. Always cover the tops of the ceiling joists to make sure the insulation is deep enough to reach your target r value and to prevent thermal bridging the heat loss that occurs through the wood framing. 1 reduced utility costs 2 comfort in all seasons 3 improved indoor air quality.
Scuttlebuddy is a do it yourself attic access scuttle hole insulation and air sealing solution that secures insulation to the access panel for optimum performance and energy savings. Air sealing to prevent air transported heat loss and beefing up the insulation. Cover the attic hatch with a pillow of fiberglass insulation. Attach foil insulation board to the back of the attic hatch panel.
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 there are indications of erratic air movement coming from your attic hatch replacement weatherstripping is necessary. I used 1 board which has an r 6 5 insulating value. You want a nice big puffy pillow of insulation to stop any air leaks says olson.
Cut two layers of r 19 fiberglass batt insulation slightly larger than the hatch and staple duct tape to the hatch edges to secure it in place. Several layers should be applied. The energy guardian universal hatch cover improves your home in three essential ways. You can also inspect the weatherstripping and molding around your attic door to see if it is damaged.
If you have pull down attic stairs or an attic door these should be sealed in a similar manner. To insulate an attic hatch you need weather stripping rigid foam board and fiberglass batt insulation. Cut out two pieces of rigid foam board that are 1 4 inch smaller than the hatch so homeowners can slide the attic access panel open easily.