Written excerpts from an article by Danny C. Flanders
You’ve built a house with materials carrying the highest insulation values and installed the most energy-efficient heating and air system.
Yet your monthly power bills leave you scratching your head.
Look up.
Most consumers don’t consider their attic door when examining their homes for energy loss. “But the problem is common in most houses we check on our audits,” said Dwight Amick , marketing supervisor for Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative.
If you don’t believe him, turn on the light in your attic, come down and close the stairway. Chances are you’ll see light shining through the cracks around the door.
That’s because many attic doors are poorly constructed, often with thin plywood, or are warped and fit improperly, allowing air to travel between floors.
Compounding the problem are attic fans and ridge vents designed to improve efficiency.
Battic© Door is an ingenious solution that fits over the opening to the attic when the disappearing stairway is closed.
“Here is a cheap way to correct a major problem, which should give you a quick payback,” Amick said.