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A study done for the Department of Energy recently concluded that all heated or air-conditioned attic staircases should be insulated.  This is no surprise to most people, we only need to think about how a hot air balloon works.  The warm air in your house will rise to the ceiling and will pass thru any opening in the ceiling.  This is called "Air Infiltration."   This escaped air is replaced with air from the outside and must be reheated.  The amount of air leaking thru will depend on many variables, but the size of the crack around the perimeter of the door opening is one of the most important.  The standard opening is 25"x 54" or 158 inches around it's perimeter.  If the crack averages only 1/8", that is a 19.75 sq. in. opening to the attic that can lose your heated/cooled air 24 hours a day, 7 days a week . Most pull down doors when installed do not seal very well.  Until now there has not been a simple or efficient way to seal them and still allow easy access to the attic. The Thermalid does not seal the door, but rather seals the entire opening  from the attic. No cracks are left uncovered!

A cost savings of $50.00 to $250.00 per year can be realized when you cover the biggest intentional un-insulated hole, about 9.5 sq. ft., in your entire house, your attic staircase!  The opening for the pull down historically has not been insulated and only has an R-value of .5, that's right, point five. There is only a thin piece of plywood between the  conditioned air in your house and the air that is in your attic .  People have tried a number of  different materials, but most do not actually seal off the door or they fall on you or in the floor when you pull the stairs down.  The Thermalid  provides you with the insulation properties and air infiltration protection  you need while still allowing easy access to your attic .  *