Many people are surprised to find that even if they have insulated their attic, their attic could be costing them money in wasted heat bills.

Here’s why. If you have folding stairs to access your attic, they can be a major source of heat loss because they are often poorly sealed and often just have a thin piece of plywood to keep the heated air from escaping.

When attic stairs are installed, a large hole (approximately 10 square feet) is created in your ceiling. The ceiling and insulation that were there have to be removed, leaving only a thin, unsealed, sheet of plywood. Your attic space is ventilated directly to the outdoors.

In the winter, the attic space can be very cold, and in the summer it can be very hot. And what is separating your conditioned house from your unconditioned attic? That thin sheet of plywood. Often a gap can be observed around the perimeter of the door.

Try This Yourself

At night, turn on the attic light,shut the attic stairway door and look at it from below — do you see any light coming through? These gaps add up to a large opening where your heated/cooled air leaks out 24 hours a day. This is like leaving a window open all year round.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that air leakage adds approximately 10 percent to the average homeowner’s energy bill, accounting for 30 percent or more of the costs associated with heating and cooling.

The Battic© Door Attic Stairs Insulator Cover is the only stair cover kit available that meets the International Energy Conservation Code – used in all 50 states and most jurisdictions!

Basically the Battic Door Cover acts like a storm window for your attic by covering and sealing the stairway opening. In effect, it seals off this area and blocks the transfer of air and moisture. It also helps to prevent the entry of noise, attic dust, pollutants, insulation, insects, and rodents into the living area from the attic through the drop-down attic stairway door – all while still being easily removed for rapid access to the attic. You can purchase Battic© Door Attic Stairs Insulator Cover at the Green Products Company.