Stop Letting Your Attic Hatchway Leak Heat

Stop Letting Your Attic Hatchway Leak Heat

If you’re like most homeowners, the attic isn’t exactly a hot hangout spot. It’s storage territory for holiday decorations, travel luggage, and memory-adorned momentos that you can’t bring yourself to part with. Because we don’t venture up there much, we tend to forget the attic is one of the most extreme environments in the home. It bakes in the summer, freezes in the winter, and if the attic hatchway isn’t properly sealed, it can leak energy and money every single day of the year.

Here’s a scene I’ve encountered more times than I can count: I climb into an attic in the middle of winter and notice tiny icicles forming on the ends of roofing nails. Those nails extend through the roof deck, and when warm indoor air rises into a cold attic, the moisture in that air condenses and freezes on the coldest surfaces. It may look like a winter wonderland up there, but trust me, it’s not festive. That condensation can melt and refreeze, and over time it leads to mold, wood rot, and structural problems that are much more expensive than a simple insulation fix.

So why is your attic turning into a climate disaster zone? Many homes in Connecticut, especially older ones, lack proper insulation and ventilation. Decades ago, builders didn’t give much thought to energy efficiency. They assumed heat was cheap and drafty houses were just the way things were. Today, we know better. Adequate insulation keeps conditioned air inside your living spaces where it belongs, while ventilation helps regulate the attic temperature and remove moisture. When those two systems are lacking, your attic becomes the gateway for your heating and cooling to escape straight outside.

And the biggest culprit? The attic entryway.

Homeowners are great at sealing windows, adding storm doors, and plugging up drafty gaps around the house. But the attic hatch? That one gets ignored despite being one of the thinnest and least insulated surfaces in the entire house. A piece of plywood sitting on top of drywall can’t compete with a properly insulated ceiling. Even with weatherstripping around the edges, heat will pass right through it like a kid through a cookie jar.

Whole-house fans share the same issue. They’re terrific for ventilation in the warmer months, but when winter rolls around, that giant fan opening is basically a hole in your ceiling unless it’s insulated properly.

This is why we so often recommend adding an insulated attic cover or box. Think of it like a puffy winter jacket for that vulnerable hatchway. The covers we install are made from thick, durable insulation that’s designed specifically to withstand those attic temperatures. Once in place, the cover creates a sealed barrier that stops heat from sneaking past the stair frame. When you pull the stairs down, you simply lift the cover out of the way. No wrestling, no complications, and no impact on attic access.

Beyond comfort, let’s talk numbers. Heating and cooling account for the majority of a home’s energy bill. If warm air is drifting away through the attic hatch, your system has to work harder and run longer to keep the house comfortable. Adding an insulated cover is a small, affordable improvement that pays for itself in energy savings and protects your home from expensive moisture damage.

It also makes a difference you can feel. Homeowners often tell us rooms near the attic, especially upstairs bedrooms, stay more comfortable and consistent in temperature after the upgrade. No more drafty hallways. No more cold spots near the attic stairs. Just a home that performs the way it should.

If you’re planning improvements this season or simply want to make your home more energy-smart, have a professional check your insulation and ventilation. Boosting insulation levels and sealing the attic access is a one-two punch that delivers major results. Your HVAC system will thank you, and so will your wallet.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Trend Alert - Skylights Are Making a Comeback

Lately, I have had a lot of requests from homeowners who want to cover up their skylights. Once enjoyed for extra sun and brightness, people are becoming increasingly worried that skylights let too much heat and air escape and they believe that covering them over will be less costly than replacing them. While skylights were once the cherry on the top of a contemporary design, they now seem to be falling out of fashion. So what’s the deal on this once must-have home trend? Let’s take a closer look.

Residential skylights became popular several decades ago as people craved more natural light-filled spaces, especially in home styles with high ceilings. The luxury of being able to see the clouds became a bit of an interior design status symbol and their popularity skyrocketed. But today, as homeowners are having to replace their 30-year roofs, the idea of skylights aren’t as appealing as they used to be. In fact, many people think that closing their skylights up would be cheaper than replacing them. Unfortunately, what many homeowners don’t realize is that the work involved in properly covering a skylight is actually much more of an expense than it’s worth.

Today, there are tons of new options to make skylights more versatile than ever before. Many now come with solar panels to maximize energy efficiency and some also offer inclement weather sensors, enabling them to close automatically when the first raindrop hits. Speaking of closing, one of my favorite features of a skylight is the ability to let fresh air in, which contributes to a home’s balance of moisture and overall ventilation. This also enables humidity and stale air to be released, creating a more comfortable natural air flow.

Many people who once loved the idea of skylights now complain that they can’t control the light, which is luckily a problem of the past. Today’s blinds include total blackout and filtering options which are often controlled remotely through solar batteries that don’t need to be hard wired. This gives homeowners much more flexibility in terms of controlling the light that comes into their homes, making skylights a fully customizable feature.

Lastly, of course, there is the question of energy efficiency. About 10 years ago, a law was passed allowing homeowners to receive a tax credit on the purchase and installation of renewable technology products, which means that certain skylights might get you a solar energy rebate of up to 30%. Of course, it’s important to do your homework to ensure that the product you're considering will qualify before you make the purchase.

So before you go trying to patch up the holes in your roof and ceiling, have a look at all the new options available for skylights. Between the versatility, energy efficiency, and the beauty of natural light, this once popular and nearly dying trend is getting ready to see a major resurgence.  

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.