Drop Down Attic Stair Cases

For those of you who have drop down attic stair cases - they may be helpful - but they can be a large "energy waster." As opposed to the basic attic hatch, you have at minimum twice the size that is not insulated, and rarely do they seal properly.

When The Energy Guy runs into this type of attic opening, I quickly explain to the homeowner the need for a "Coffin Hatch." Yes, it sounds weird - however the hatch looks just like a coffin upon completion - sans dead body.

Due to the fact that the stairs fold compact on the hatch, they create a combined height that sticks up into the attic. Once the attic is shut, we measure the overall folded height and build a larger dam around the stairs - and secure it / caulk it. Then we create a new "hatch lid" that will sit inside of this weatherstripped dam, creating a secure cover. As the other hatch had R38 on it - so does this one. So...when you pull down the attic stairs, you look up and see another entry way - the new hatch. You lift this hatch up and out - and now you have access to the attic...and a good energy saver.

Note: I've been in 2 homes within the last month that had "slider stairs." This is where you pull down the hatch opening and there are straight, non-folding stairs that slide from the attic downwards. These type of hatches we recommend removing altogether and replacing with a push up hatch or a folding stair case. This is due to the fact that once the slider is up in the attic, not only do you have a low insulated hatch, you also have the area that the stairs slide to uninsulated.

Next Topic: Attic insulation Part 1 - Cellulose