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insulating a stairwell

 
pollinator
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In my home I have an open stairwell to an upstairs area, that bring light etc down to a small bedroom.
In winter  it gets very cold and I am loon
king for ideas to improve things.
 
steward and tree herder
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Can you clarify John: Is it an open ceiling area with roof lights (windows), or an actual staircase you need for access?
 
steward
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This thread give a unique suggestion:

https://permies.com/t/377969/put-curtains-wall-difference-keeping
 
master steward
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I met a couple who no longer needed frequent access to the second story of their house. They had built a wooden horizontal hinged platform to seal the area above the stairs to reduce heating costs.

If you need light through it, you could build it so that some areas had plastic to let light through?

So much depends on exactly what your situation looks like. A diagram and photos would be a big help.
 
John C Daley
pollinator
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The stairs go from a bedroom, through the ceiling to a hall upstairs whichleads to a deck and another room.
 
Rocket Scientist
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So the point is, does the stairwell need to remain usable all the time, occasionally, or can it be sealed for winter?
 
pollinator
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As suggested, you might replace stairs with a folding wood or steel ladder.  Weather stripping will make a tight seal against cold drafts.  
Screenshot_20260722_064427_Photos.jpg
[Thumbnail for Screenshot_20260722_064427_Photos.jpg]
 
John C Daley
pollinator
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I would like to use the stairs once a week.
 
Glenn Herbert
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It sounds like you could make a hatch cover that you could open when you want to use it, with something like plexiglass in it to let light through. That could also make it lighter for ease of use.
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