Simple Ways to Weatherize: How to Pick the Correct Size Attic Tent

During extreme weather months, the attic tends to be the area of the home that gets the coldest. This is because most attics are not well insulated, and are either too hot or too cold. 

With that in mind, how often would you like the air from the attic to mix with the air in the living area of your home? Unless your attic is properly ventilated and insulated, the answer is probably never, right? Insulating the entire attic can be a time-consuming and costly project. If it is one that is not within your budget this summer, installing an attic tent will help you reduce unwanted air exchanges and energy waste experienced at home without breaking the bank. 

Attic doors typically act as an escape for air from the attic, which then mixes with the air inside the home, increasing energy bills. 

Insulating the attic door with an Attic Tent is a light-weight, simple, and cost-effective way to reduce the amount of unwanted air infiltration from the attic into the home, and it comes in many sizes to fit over many different attic doors.

We’re all guilty of purchasing a new outfit only to realize it may be a size too big or too small. That could have been avoided by trying it on first, right? Apply this same concept to choosing your attic tent. Before purchasing one, make sure you know what size you should be looking for. 

Luckily, choosing the right size attic stair insulation for your attic can be accomplished with just one tool: measuring tape.

• Measure the width of the attic door across (typically 22″ to 30″)
• Measure the length of the attic door across (typically 54″ to 60″)
• If your attic is one that has the usual triple-fold staircase, then you should measure the height of the staircase when folded (typically 7′ to 13′)
  • 7′ height is necessary for an attic ladder side rail made with a 1×4
  • 13′ height is necessary for an attic ladder side rail made with a 1×5 or 1×6

A benefit to the attic tent is that it offers some flexibility with the measurements. Whether you order a size that is 2-3 inches too small or 2-3 inches too large, this type of attic stair insulation has some give that allows the tent to fit over the door that is being insulated. The Attic Tent is lightweight, weighing no more than 5-6 pounds, easy to install, and pays for itself in energy savings within the first year. Once you know the right size necessary for your attic, you will be well on your way to reducing the amount of unwanted air exchanges that occur through the attic.

Installation of Attic Tent

An attic door insulation cover can be installed over attic stairs, knee wall doors, and over an attic scuttle hole. The installation method depends on which of these applications you will be using the attic insulation for:

1. A) Attic Stairs

1. At the end of the attic stair box, place the attic tent. The zipper heads should be hinged at the end.
2. On all four sides, staple the rough frame to the mounting hinge (staple about every 2-3 inches along).
3. Use a bead of caulk to seal any air leaks between the rough frame and mounting flange.

1. B) Knee Wall Door

1. The attic tent should be vertically aligned to the back of the door frame. Make sure the zipper end is down.
2. To attach to the floor, fold the flange under the zipper side.
3. On the attic side, staple around the door frame, and use a bead of caulk for sealing.

1. C) Attic Scuttle Hole

1. Use a piece of 1/2 inch plywood, for example measuring 24″x35″ to be attached along the attic floor joist and the connecting side of the access hole.
2. Seal other adjoining areas to allow the tent to have the required mounting surface.
3. Placing the zippers close to the access, position the insulation cover over the scuttle hole.
4. Staple the flange of the tent around the plywood and access frame.
5. As with the other applications, apply a bead of caulk for a tighter seal.

With a little time and the right tools, you can begin to reduce energy loss and protect the home from the harsher temperatures of the attic during extreme weather months. The added insulation provided by an attic tent will not only allow you to gain more control over the temperature indoors, but it will reduce energy bills by up to $170 each year it is left in place.

Insulating with the Therma-Dome

An attic tent isn’t the only option for insulating that problem area of your home. The Therma-Dome insulator is made of a 1 ½” thick polyisocyanurate board of foam insulation that is placed between laminated foil. It seals using foam gaskets around the edge of the material and a Velcro tie-down. This form of insulation is heavier than the previous insulator, yet still lightweight, also providing ease of access into the attic.

Installation is a bit more difficult for this insulator than it was for the last one. The tools required include 2 staples for mounting, 1 tube of adhesive, 1 roll of tape, and 6 lap-joint foam parts. 

The Therma-Dome attic stair insulation comes with a set of instructions that estimates approximately 15 minutes for installation. Produced to fit all attic stair sizes, the dimensions are 27” x 57” x 10.5 inside, and 30” x 60” x 12” outside. With an R-Value of R-13, this form of attic stair insulation provides payback within the first year of use.

Insulating with the LadderMate

The LadderMate attic stair insulation is constructed of weatherstrip and 2” foam gaskets that both seal and insulate the attic opening and door. It is not as lightweight as the previous insulators, but ease of access into the attic is provided through a 30” push/pull rod and hinged panel that comes down behind the attic ladder once opened. This also eliminates the need for an additional finish trim around the opening of the attic door.

From inside the attic, the attic stair cover installs in a matter of minutes with the magnetic closure provided. It is constructed to fit over attics that have one of the following measurements: 22.5″ x 48″, 22.5″ x 54″, 25″ x 48″, and 25″ x 54″. With an R-Value of 10, the insulation continues to accumulate savings throughout the course of the year, whether the temperatures outside are cold enough to make ice cream or hot enough to fry an egg.

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