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Don't be fooled by the cheap covers that partially seal the stairs. The entire opening must be sealed to gain the desired seal. Stop and look at the stair design, setting a cardboard box on top of the stair frame does not stop air movement. You don't have to be an engineer to see that. You've heard the saying "You get what you pay for."

The Therm-A-Lid is made of modified expanded polystyrene, but is similar to the material most disposable white coffee cups are made from. The cup is about 1/8" to 3/16" thick and will keep your coffee hot hours with a lid on it. That coffee cup has a R-Value of about 1. The Therm-A-Lid is 2 1/4" thick of this material and it will put a lid on the heat in your home in the winter and keep the heat out in the summer. Not only is the Therm-A-Lid 2 1/4" thick, but when installed correctly creates an air tight barrier that creates about 18" of dead air space (no air movement or air currents) between your ceiling and the inside of the Therm-A-Lid. A dead air space is one of the best insulation methods know to man!

As you can see, sealing your pulldown stairs is the key. R-Value is important, but it is more important to stop air from entering and leaving your home. The Therm-A-Lid is a great sealing product that is easy to replace after you have used your attic stairs. It will continue to do so for years to come.

If you want more insulation or if your Building code requires more, just glue on the additional amount needed to meet your code for your climate or to your desired R-value. The Therm-A-Lid is now made of fire rated material. see Specification page