The loft hatch is hinged and will swing down when opened. To draught-proof the first of these, you can simply put a compression seal or foam strip around the perimeter of the bottom of the loft hatch. When the hatch sits in place, the seal should ensure that all draughts are stopped.
How do you draught proof a loft hatch?
The hatch rests on the frame of the loft entrance. The loft hatch is hinged and will swing down when opened. To draught-proof the first of these, you can simply put a compression seal or foam strip around the perimeter of the bottom of the loft hatch. When the hatch sits in place, the seal should ensure that all draughts are stopped.
How do you fix a draughty hatch?
There are several ways to fix a draughty hatch. The general principle here is to create an airtight seal around the edge of the hatch or frame. And this can be achieved quite easily using a compression seal or foam strip. Where this is applied will depend on which type of hatch you have.
How do you attach foam strips to a loft hatch?
If you have a hinged loft hatch that doesn’t rest on a post then you’ll need to apply the foam strips to both the hatch surround and inside of the hatch frame so that the two strips meet and squash together a tiny bit.
How do you fix a loft trap that keeps it down?
Cut the joist out that is in the way using a hand or circular saw, and fix two pieces of timber across. Nail them to the outer joists and to the trimmed joist to stop it dropping down now the middle section is cut out. If necessary, more trimmers in the opposite direction can be used to position or resize the loft trap.
How to draught proof a loft hatch?
What do you put on a loft hatch?
Why should I insulate my loft hatch?
Do you need to insulate the top of a loft hatch?
See 1 more
How do you draft proof attic hatch?
0:102:38How to draught proof a manhole (or draft proof a loft or attic hatch)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipJust go straight up through any hole it could find there's lots of gaps and cracks out here. So we'MoreJust go straight up through any hole it could find there's lots of gaps and cracks out here. So we're just going to lift that up pop it in the ceiling.
How do you insulate roof hatch?
0:243:18Insulating Attic Hatch Video - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe important thing to learn is that there's not really anything up here insulating. The space it'sMoreThe important thing to learn is that there's not really anything up here insulating. The space it's like having an open window in your home. That's always letting out the conditioned.
Should you insulate a loft hatch?
Even if the rest of your loft has been fully insulated, it is important not to forget the loft hatch. Insulating your loft hatch can massively improve your overall insulation levels, lowering heating costs and carbon footprint and keeping your living areas warm and cosy.
How do you air seal an attic hatch?
1:313:50How to air seal attic hatches - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou want to seal the edges. Because you have to cut it to size. And then you're gonna also want toMoreYou want to seal the edges. Because you have to cut it to size. And then you're gonna also want to put a sealer on the edge to where it's gonna actually push into that space.
How do I stop my attic door from drafting?
Pick up some high R-value insulation from your local home improvement store and staple it directly over the top of your attic door. Next, apply self-adhesive weatherstripping to the edges of your attic door so it creates a stronger and more secure hold.
How do you seal an attic opening?
From inside the attic, check for any openings, holes, or fenestrations into the knee wall/surrounding area. Use spray foam to air seal these openings if they exist. Apply weather-stripping to the door to create a seal. The latch should lay flush against the frame.
How do you insulate a hinged loft hatch?
A hinged hatch Cut the self-adhesive foam tape to size and apply it to the edges of the frame facing downwards (into the living space). The hatch will then press up against the tape when closed, creating a seal.
Why is my loft so drafty?
What causes a draughty hatch? The simple answer is that cold air is coming into your loft space under the eaves (just underneath the edge of your roof). And some of that air is passing through the hatch into the liveable part of your home.
Does heat escape through loft hatch?
If you have a loft window, opening it up will let out warm air, and that will likely produce a cooling effect - especially if you open some additional windows in your home to keep the air flowing. There are many other useful ways to lower the temperature of your home in the summer months.
Is air sealing the attic worth it?
Is air sealing worth it? Yes. Getting your home air sealed is a worthwhile investment—one that pays off in energy efficiency, comfort, and your home's value. According to Energy Star, the EPA estimates savings of 15% on heating and cooling costs by properly air sealing and adding insulation.
How do you insulate and air seal pull down attic stairs?
0:296:02Insulating attic pull-down stairs - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you may have to put like a barrel bolt or something to latch it here make this nice and tight.MoreAnd you may have to put like a barrel bolt or something to latch it here make this nice and tight. If it's kind of Gaby you can also put some other stripping up there take care of the losses.
Do attic stair insulators work?
Purchasing an attic stair insulation cover can help with saving energy and minimizing moisture problems in your attic. Around 50% of a home's energy is used to either heat or cool indoor air, so if you don't have proper insulation for your attic stairs, you'll be losing quite a bit of unnecessary energy.
How do I insulate attic closet doors?
Here's one good method. Staple long pieces of duct tape (sticky side up) onto the attic scuttle door. Then add insulation batting to form a pillow and wrap it up like a birthday present as shown. Add foam insulation tape around the edges to seal the perimeter where it rests in the access hole.
Should you leave the loft hatch open in hot weather?
Yes, opening the loft hatch in your attic will help your house cool down during hot weather. Often, the warmest area of your home is your second floor. As heat rises, if the warm air has nowhere further to go, it will stick around, leaving you with a hot and stuffy bedroom.
Do attic stair insulators work?
Purchasing an attic stair insulation cover can help with saving energy and minimizing moisture problems in your attic. Around 50% of a home's energy is used to either heat or cool indoor air, so if you don't have proper insulation for your attic stairs, you'll be losing quite a bit of unnecessary energy.
How do you insulate an exterior door?
0:205:24Exterior Door Insulation - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou might choose to only use one I use fiberglass on the inside. Like this but I also use spray foamMoreYou might choose to only use one I use fiberglass on the inside. Like this but I also use spray foam on the outside.
What do i use to seal loft hatch — MoneySavingExpert Forum
Hi, My loft hatch is in my bathroom - so naturally damp air is getting sucked up through the loft hatch and condensating the insulation in the loft around the hatch.
Stormguard Around Loft Attic Hatch Door Draught Excluder Seal ... - Amazon
Shop Stormguard Around Loft Attic Hatch Door Draught Excluder Seal Strip Weather Proofing Insulation. (4 x 1028mm, Brown). Free delivery on eligible orders of £20 or more.
Insulating a Loft Hatch: How to, the Cost and More
That said, even then the measurable energy loss is unlikely to break the bank. A 500mm x 500mm loft hatch could lose up to 40kWh/year. Add in the draughts around the hatch’s edge and the cold-bridge effect this creates, and that figure could reach 60kWh/year (varying with how draughty the loft is).
How to draught proof a loft hatch?
To draught-proof the first of these, you can simply put a compression seal or foam strip around the perimeter of the bottom of the loft hatch. When the hatch sits in place, the seal should ensure that all draughts are stopped.
What do you put on a loft hatch?
If the loft hatch is hinged, you will need to put either the compression seal or the foam strip on the outside perimeter on the top of loft hatch.
Why should I insulate my loft hatch?
Your loft hatch can cause cold draughts to enter the living space of your home, especially if you have a cold loft space (i.e. insulated at joist level rather than rafter level).
Do you need to insulate the top of a loft hatch?
Once you have insulated your loft space and you have draught-proofed the loft hatch, creating a seal to stop cold air entering the main house and hot air escaping, it is also worth insulating the top of the loft hatch as a final step. This is fairly simple process; essentially you just need to attach the insulation to the top of the loft hatch.
How to fix a draughty hatch with an airtight seal
So let’s get to the nitty-gritty. There are several ways to fix a draughty hatch. The general principle here is to create an airtight seal around the edge of the hatch or frame. And this can be achieved quite easily using a compression seal or foam strip. Where this is applied will depend on which type of hatch you have.
So what kind of foam tape or seal do I need?
You can get easy to apply adhesive-backed foam sealing tape which will do the job perfectly well. Here’s one I found on Amazon after a 30-second search (this is not an affiliate link!).
How do The Loft Boys draught-proof hatches?
We’re happy to show you how! If we’re not installing something like a Fakro loft ladder that comes with a fully-insulated hatch and frame then we build one bespoke. And in that scenario, we usually opt for a hinged swing-down hatch with a post surrounding the inside of the hatch frame.
Staying safe while working around your loft area
It’s super important to always keep safety in mind when doing any work inside or around your loft space. A fall from height can lead to very serious injuries so always make sure you’ve got a good solid ladder and ideally ask a friend to help if possible.
Conclusion
We hope this has given you a fairly quick and easy solution to stopping that annoying loft draft from entering your home! It’s worth doing and not just for comfort… it also helps your wallet in the long run!
What bolt should I use to hold a hatch door closed?
If you are hinging a hatch door I would either use a touch latch or a barrel bolt to hold the door closed.
Where to hide a trap?
Hidden in a hallway or lesser used room where it won't create an eyesore could be best, if possible trim the joists so that the trap will be central/symmetrical when looked at from below
How to get holes off of plasterboard?
Use a jab-saw to start the hole off then finish with an old handsaw if you have one. Plasterboard will ruin the teeth on a good handsaw so don't use a new one..
How to check if a frame is square?
Once glued and screwed together check the frame is square by using a framing square or measuring from corner to corner.
Can I retrofit a loft trap?
Assuming you are 'retro-fitting' the loft trap and the finished ceiling is already in the way, I would cut and remove the section of ceiling first once I have marked out my aperture without cutting any joists. This will let more light up into the roof space so I can work more easily.
Can you use a premade loft trap?
You can either use a pre-made loft trap and simply create the hole specified in the instructions to install it in (keep scrolling down for this method). Otherwise above are two different designs I use to form a custom or bespoke loft trap for easy access into the attic space above.
Can you brace timber above a loft trap?
When bracing timbers like this above a pre-finished ceiling (retro-fitting a loft trap), I tend to use screws rather than banging nails in that need to be removed later as this reduces the risk of cracking the ceiling or disrupting it too much. You'll most likely need to redecorate anyway, but the less patching up or repair work the better.
How to draught proof a loft hatch?
To draught-proof the first of these, you can simply put a compression seal or foam strip around the perimeter of the bottom of the loft hatch. When the hatch sits in place, the seal should ensure that all draughts are stopped.
What do you put on a loft hatch?
If the loft hatch is hinged, you will need to put either the compression seal or the foam strip on the outside perimeter on the top of loft hatch.
Why should I insulate my loft hatch?
Your loft hatch can cause cold draughts to enter the living space of your home, especially if you have a cold loft space (i.e. insulated at joist level rather than rafter level).
Do you need to insulate the top of a loft hatch?
Once you have insulated your loft space and you have draught-proofed the loft hatch, creating a seal to stop cold air entering the main house and hot air escaping, it is also worth insulating the top of the loft hatch as a final step. This is fairly simple process; essentially you just need to attach the insulation to the top of the loft hatch.
