Good call on the attic insulation—I did the same thing a couple years back and it made a surprising difference upstairs. Another thing that helped me was sealing up some of those sneaky air leaks around recessed lights and attic access doors. Even small gaps let in a ton of heat, so plugging those up with some weatherstripping or foam sealant can really pay off. Might be worth checking out if you haven't yet...
Did sealing around the recessed lights cause any overheating issues for you? I've heard mixed things about that—some say it's fine, others warn about heat buildup. Curious if you noticed anything like that after sealing yours up. Also, did you use foam or weatherstripping around the attic access door? I've seen both recommended, but I'm wondering if one holds up better over time...
I sealed around my recessed lights about a year ago—no overheating issues yet, knock on wood. A buddy warned me about heat buildup too, but honestly, modern LEDs run pretty cool, so I haven't noticed any problems. For the attic access door, I went with foam weatherstripping. Easy to install and still holding up nicely...plus, it made a noticeable difference in drafts. Foam just seemed sturdier long-term compared to regular weatherstripping tape.
I've been thinking about sealing around my recessed lights too, but mine are older fixtures (still LED bulbs though). Did you have to use any special heat-resistant caulk, or just regular silicone? I'm a bit hesitant because my house is pretty old, and I don't wanna mess with something that might cause issues later. The foam weatherstripping sounds like a good call for the attic door though—might give that a try this weekend.
"Did you have to use any special heat-resistant caulk, or just regular silicone?"
I had the exact same hesitation when I tackled mine last year—older house here too, built in the late 60s. I ended up going with a high-temp silicone caulk specifically rated for recessed lighting fixtures. Regular silicone might be okay, but honestly, I felt better knowing it was designed to handle heat. It wasn't much pricier either, maybe a couple bucks more per tube.
Funny story though... when I first started sealing around the lights, I was super cautious and kept checking every 10 minutes to make sure nothing weird was happening. Probably overkill, but hey, better safe than sorry, right? Anyway, it's been about a year now and zero issues so far. Definitely noticed fewer drafts and maybe even a slight improvement in heating efficiency.
And yeah, foam weatherstripping on the attic door is a total win—cheap and easy fix that makes a noticeable difference. Good luck this weekend!
