DraughtBusters

Energy saving advice and help

  • About
    • What people say about us
    • A typical DraughtBust
    • Helping to set up other groups
    • Frequently asked questions
    • A DraughtBusters Talk
  • Draught proofing
    • How to get started
    • A Case Study
    • Why draughts?
    • Windows and doors
      • Front Door
      • Draughty roof windows
      • Trickle Ventilators
      • uPVC door problems
      • UPVC window seals
    • Redundant AirBricks
    • Floors
    • Loft and first floor ceilings
    • Loft Traps
    • Pet Flaps
    • What is going on under your bath?
  • Finding Draughts
    • How to survey a building for draughts
    • Problem encountered during 2021/2022
    • Dry lined homes
    • Modern timber frame
    • Victorian terraced houses
    • Chalet Bungalow
    • Cross walled homes
    • Early cavity wall homes
    • Concrete panel houses
    • Solid stone and cob homes
  • Help Reducing Energy Use
  • Advanced Air Sealing
    • Problems with Drylined Homes
      • Problems with dot and dabbed walls
      • Around openings in walls
      • Draughts in the first floor void
    • Going Further
      • First Floor Void
      • Condensation mini case study
      • Controlling your heating system
      • Heat loss from unused chimneys
      • Types of damp in the home
      • Draughts and condensation
      • In House Winter Cooling Systems
    • More Advanced
      • Upgrading to Underfloor Heating
      • Lead Pumping
      • Why so many flat roofs fail
      • Summer Condensation
  • Contact

Loft Traps

Lift Out Loft Traps

Inspect the loft hatch, is it clean? Are there dark stains on it or on the door stops/lining?

Also look at the architrave, surround where it abuts the ceiling/wall. Are there cracks? These could very well be letting draughts in and should be caulked.

Now remove the hatch, often a wooden sheet, is it insulated? There is a better than average chance that it is not and it should be. Now thoroughly clean the top edges of the place where the edges of the hatch sits.

Note the blackening between the architrave and the ceiling, this indicates draughts are entering there, it should be caulked. The trap itself is dirty and there is a strong probability that it is not properly insulated and it is not sitting on its door stops again draughts are coming in there too, simple draught stripping will cure the problem but the top edge of the stops must be cleaned well first. 

See next section below for comments on insulation.

Swing down loft traps.  

Inspect the loft hatch, is it clean? Are there dark stains on it or on the door stops/lining? Also look at the architrave, surround where it abuts the ceiling/wall. Are there cracks? These could very well be letting draughts in and should be caulked.

Now open the hatch, often a wooden sheet, is it insulated? There is a better than average chance that it is not and it should be. Now thoroughly clean the faces of the place where the edges of the hatch close to. Apply suitable draught strips, foam, butyl-rubber or brush pile ones all work but take care to choose the correct thickness. On the hinge side the strip should be fitted so that it is compressed by the edge of the flap, i.e. it goes on the member that the hinges are fitted to.

The hatch should have door stops and many older drop down hatches have auto-latches or push to open catches, these ate now considered dangerous and quarter turn latches are recommended. 

Eaves cupboard doors.

Where the eaves cupboard is inside the insulation and airtight zone there should not be ant need for either insulation or draughtproofing on the door, if there is then remedial actions should be taken to resolve issues in the afore mentioned barriers,

Where the eaves space is outside the insulation barrier then any door will need positive draught seals and will need to be insulated.

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