Growing interest in energy efficiency has many people paying attention to how their homes are insulated. We know that the more insulation we have, the better our houses perform in terms of comfort and energy performance. With all the discussion taking place about insulating walls, ceilings, floors and attics, it's easy to overlook an area that also needs insulating: the attic stair.
Attic stair insulation and air sealing are important. Without this protection, you'll definitely feel the chill of freezing winter temperatures in the attic, as well as the heat that builds up in the attic on hot summer days.
The attic stair needs air-sealing as well as insulation in order to avoid unnecessary discomfort and energy losses. How these energy upgrades are performed depends on the type of attic stair you have.
Many historic houses provide access to the attic space with a permanent stairway that has a door at the bottom. In this case, air leakage around the door can be minimized by installing weatherstripping along the door threshold and stop moldings.
To limit heat loss in winter and heat gain on hot summer days, rigid foam insulation can be secured to the back of the attic stair door. Dr. Energy Saver can perform both of these energy upgrades.
If your house has a drop-down attic stair, it's certain to need an air-sealing and insulation upgrade. Ready-made attic hatch covers are available for installation in the attic space directly above the stair opening. But sometimes it's necessary to custom-make an insulated, well-sealed hatch cover because of space constraints in the attic. Dr. Energy Saver can go over both of these options with you to help you decide which is best for your house. NOTE: Similar treatments are available when attic access is provided by a simple hatch or opening in the ceiling.
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