Attic Door

An attic door is a necessary entry way to the upper area of your home. However, the opening to your attic can compromise the insulation in your house. In the wintertime, heated air can be lost through the spaces that surround your attic door. In the summer, heat from the attic can escape through this exposed area into your rooms while increasing the temperature in your house and maximizing the workload on your air conditioning system.

To provide the easiest access to the spare bedroom, office, storage space or bonus room you've created, a door should be easy to open. Traditional pull down stairs or knee wall doors can be difficult to operate when you need a safe, fast reliable way to enter and exit this space. If you're planning an attic remodel, consider ideas for convenient entry ways in your plans. Photos in online galleries, design and home improvement books can provide inspiration on how you can make access to your attic more efficient.

Attic Door Types

Access to an attic in many homes involves a horizontal rather than a vertical design. The typical attic door may not offer the easiest entry, especially if you have a health condition that makes it difficult to climb. If you don't require frequent use of this region of your house, a hatch door may be a perfectly adequate way to provide entry. Constructing a hatch simply involves creating an opening in the ceiling, often in a closet or hallway, with a cover or door that can be removed as needed. Access is often provided by a pull down ladder.

When you construct a hatch for the first time, a segment of the ceiling material should be retained to cover the opening. This segment can be easily lifted away when necessary, then replaced. The cover should be carefully aligned when it's replaced to avoid air leaks that could result in the loss of conditioned air from your rooms.

Pull down stairs are another common variation of the attic door. A pull down staircase consists of a set of hinged stairs that can be collapsed when not in use and folded up conveniently. Pull down stairs may be difficult for children or older adults to operate. For maximum safety and security, a pull down staircase should be installed in an area of the property that is not vulnerable to break-ins, such as a hallway. If you have a secured garage, this location is also appropriate because the air in the garage is typically not heated or cooled, so the door won't compromise insulation.

Attic fan covers and knee wall doors are frequently found in finished attics. The knee wall attic door most resembles a conventional construction, but this structure may also present the greatest risk to your insulation. During the construction process, homeowners must take care to prevent the excessive exchange of air between the exterior space and the unheated or uncooled air behind the door.

Insulating Attic Doors

Adequate insulation and sealing is essential for any attic door. Any opening in your house presents a break in your insulation, and entries to attics are no exception. In the summer months, when the heat in your rooms naturally rises to the top of the house, temperatures in the upper regions may come close to 150 degrees. This extremely hot air can escape through a leaky opening and raise the interior temperature. Heated air may also contain shreds of insulation. In the wintertime, cold, moist air can escape through a faulty opening and increase the cost of heating your dwelling.

Even a small gap creates the potential for an air leak and energy loss. Hatches can be sealed with weather stripping to prevent air leaks. The hatch itself may be lined with weather stripping, or the strips may be installed along the opening. A cover made of foam, fiberglass or another insulating material should be fitted to the top of the hatch, increasing its resistance to heat loss.

The frame for a pull down staircase should be sealed with caulk or weather stripping if the gap between the stairs and the frame is narrow. A wider gap may require an expanding foam material to prevent air leaks. A cover box made of foam or duct board may be constructed to fit over the staircase. A knee wall attic door must be adequately fitted and weatherstripped. Foam backing may be added if necessary.

Insulating and sealing an attic door can make a significant difference in the comfort level of your rooms and the costs of heating and cooling your residence. It's well worth your time and money to consult a licensed professional who can inspect the upper areas of your house for potential leaks. Use the free features on our site to get in touch with qualified experts in your area.