How To Air Seal Attic Hatch

Carefully pull down the finish trim.

How to air seal attic hatch.

The door hatch should close all the way pressing down on the gasket to create a full seal. Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping. If the attic hatch rests on the molding you should add 2 1 2 inch stops around the entire opening. Air seal the trim the first step is air sealing the finish trim and enclosure around the attic hatch.

Cut 1 3 boards to fit the perimeter of the opening and nail them on with 6d finish nails. Inspect the weatherstripping gaskets around the attic hatch opening. Apply weather stripping to the door to create a seal. Carefully pull down the finish trim.

Apply self adhesive foam weatherstrip tape to the top edge of the stop. The stops provide a wider surface for attaching the weatherstrip and a space to mount hook and eye fasteners. Use spray foam to air seal these openings if they exist. Weatherstripping use around doors and windows.

Weatherstrip the attic access hatch or door. They also give you an easy area to add hook fasteners if needed. Pray that the installer used finish nails and not say ring shank nails. In our ongoing series on air sealing we are going to focus on the dreaded attic hatch or as allison baile s of energy vanguard so eloquently calls it a mind blowing hole in your building envelope instead of crunching the numbers as he did one just needs to walk by one in a hallway during the middle of summer to know it isn t insulated.

These new wood stops provide a larger area for attaching new weatherstripping. Once you have the materials you can begin to seal and insulate the knee wall access door through these steps.