Save up to $80 per year with this small task

Mr. Handyman service technicians have been in dozens of home's attics this winter inspecting roof and ice damming damage. What we have noticed in 90% of the attics is that the access door in not insulated in any way. Most of these access panels were in the living space, a closet or hallway. These homeowners are paying good money heating the air that is escaping through the uninsulated access panel. Most of these panels are made out of a piece of plywood or drywall and they are pushed up out of the way to gain access into the attic.

For about $30-$40 a 'somewhat handy' person could purchase enough 1 1/2 inch foam insulation, construction adhesive (liquid nails) and a roll of sticky-back foam weather-stripping to do this small project on their own. You could use the panel as a template to cut 2 layers of the rigid foam, glue them to the top side of the panel so it it two layers thick. Then apply the weather-stripping to the framework of the panel to form a nice fit when it is put back in place.

The added insulation and weather-stripping could save you upwards of $80.00 in heating and cooling costs per year as well as helping your home stay more comfortable when it is really cold out.