Attic Access Insulation and Air Sealing
Adequately insulating and air sealing the access to an attic— especially to unconditioned attics—will help lower your heating and cooling bills.
A home’s attic access, which could be an attic hatch, pull-down stairs, or a knee-wall door, often goes uninsulated. This gap in the attic insulation increases heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer.
These accesses also often aren’t sealed properly. A 1/4-inch gap around the perimeter of an attic access can potentially leak the same amount of air supplied by a typical bedroom heating duct.
Before insulating your attic access, you should first determine the recommended insulation R-value for your area and climate.
Attic Access Location
If you are constructing a new home or remodeling an existing home, carefully consider the location of an attic access. The location will affect how or whether the attic access should be insulated. If possible, locate the access in an unconditioned part of the house, such as a garage, covered patio, or porch. A garage location, where the vented attic is uninsulated, can eliminate the need for air sealing and insulation.
How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in — costing you higher heating bills.
But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home — the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer?