November 29 2017 diy repairs can be fun and cost effective.
Attic stairs stuck on opening.
Check the springs or struts of your ladder and make sure they are working correctly.
Cut the ceiling along the rectangle lines using a hand saw or a jig saw but don t cut into the joists.
If your frame is not square insert shims to square it.
In this video i show how a 15 mins hardw.
If the springs are worn rusted loose or broken the integrity of the entire device is seriously compromised and an immediate repair is necessary.
Often times the unit can be repaired rather than replaced.
The door usually is counterbalanced to the ceiling with folding steel arms and two heavy duty springs.
So it may be necessary to have a person and the required tools in the attic while another closes the stairs.
They are at minimum tension with the stairs closed.
Because of this a set of pull down attic stairs is the best way to reach the attic.
From loose jambs gaps in the ceiling squeaky springs and cheap hardware to problems with the ladder itself a number of things might need to be constantly maintained.
An attic stair which is actually more of a ladder is a fairly simple apparatus consisting of a folding series of steps attached to a door.
When built correctly the stairs are concealed within the attic itself.
However sometimes things just don t go as expected.
Changing out the entire attic stair unit can be potentially very difficult to do for homeowners.
In the house the only evidence of the stairs is a string dangling down.
The springs are at greatest tension with the stairs pulled down open.
There are however problems that could arise with attic stairs.
Remove all ceiling material and insulation in the opening.