Insulating Your Attic Hatch
Several layers should be applied.
Insulating your attic hatch. 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. If you have pull down attic stairs or an attic door these should be sealed in a similar manner. Air sealing to prevent air transported heat loss and beefing up the insulation. The goal is two fold.
Weatherstrip the edges and put a piece of rigid foam board insulation on the back of the door. If there are indications of erratic air movement coming from your attic hatch replacement weatherstripping is necessary. An attic hatch can have finished trim and paint look perfect and still be a giant heat sink. 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.
Work from the perimeter of the attic toward the door or hatch so that you don t trample all over the insulation you just put in. This industry leading air seal eliminates drafts in winter and hot spots in summer lowering heating and cooling bills. 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.
So what to do. First install foam weather stripping on the inside of the trim or directly onto the hatch. 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. Insulating the attic hatch here s a real quick solution.
I used 1 board which has an r 6 5 insulating value. 1 reduced utility costs 2 comfort in all seasons 3 improved indoor air quality. To insulate an attic hatch you need weather stripping rigid foam board and fiberglass batt insulation. Attach foil insulation board to the back of the attic hatch panel.
You want a nice big puffy pillow of insulation to stop any air leaks says olson. 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. In the summers it will radiate heat down into the house and in the winter heat and warm air will escape.