How To Seal An Attic Opening

Air seal the hatch perimeter the plywood hatch rests on a small wood strip lip.

How to seal an attic opening.

Once the fiberglass insulation is in place follow the directions on the can to foam the space around the pipe. If you re prohibited from entering the attic there s not much that you can do about it. Once you have the materials you can begin to seal and insulate the knee wall access door through these steps. Where possible take the additional measures and enter a sealed up attic space.

Cut 1 3 boards to fit the perimeter of the opening and nail them on with 6d finish nails. Apply weather stripping to the door to create a seal. Insulate the cover with rigid foam that is glued in place or batt insulation that is mechanically fastened e g with wires and screws. Stuff gaps with insulation.

It should rest squarely on top of the stairway frame. The standard air sealing recommendation is to install a compression bulb weatherstrip. If your hatch rests directly on the moldings add 2 1 2 inch wide stops around the opening. From inside the attic check for any openings holes or fenestrations into the knee wall surrounding area.

If the space around your plumbing pipe is wider than 3 inches you may need to stuff some fiberglass insulation into the space to serve as a backer for the expanding foam. Add weather stripping or gasket material to the frame or attic access panel. For air sealing add caulk if the gap between the rough opening and frame is less than 1 2 inch. Apply self adhesive foam weatherstrip tape to the top edge of the stop.

Hot air exhaust vents located at the peak of the roof allow hot air to escape. The stops provide a wider surface for attaching the weatherstrip and a space to mount hook and eye fasteners. Air seal attic access panels and drop down stairs to minimize air leakage. Adhere batt insulation to the top panel of the box.

Sealing the attic hatch or door finish up by sealing the access hatch with self sticking weather stripping. Use spray foam to air seal these openings if they exist. If the gap is larger use nonexpanding foam in addition to the caulk. Install a gasket around attic access openings to air seal between the opening and the panel covering.

Apply a bead of caulk on the inside and outside edges of the trim and then reattach it. Taking advantage of this natural process referred to as passive ventilation is the most common way to vent an.