Should you consider storing items in your attic?
It may be a convenient storage spot, but you should reconsider storing items in your attic. Here's why. Attics are a common place to store all your stuff. Between holiday decorations, out-of-season clothing and even a few boxes of memorabilia, it’s the prime free storage space for your home.
Can you use decking for attic storage?
If you’re familiar with basic carpentry and framing techniques, installing decking for attic storage is a DIY-friendly project. Just remember: This type of attic flooring will provide storage space for overflow items and seasonal items, but it won’t pass muster as a living space floor.
Can attic flooring be used as a living space?
Just remember: This type of attic flooring will provide storage space for overflow items and seasonal items, but it won’t pass muster as a living space floor. Attic flooring intended for a living space must be installed in compliance with building codes.
Should you add insulation to your attic?
If you plan to store any temperature-sensitive items, it’s best to forget about your attic and go for climate-controlled storage space. While you can always add insulation, the difference in temperature doesn’t make it worth the effort. If it’s not done properly, it can also cause issues with the ventilation.
Is it safe to store stuff in attic?
Storing items in your attic is far more preferable than storing them in the basement or garage where they may get wet from flooding and are exposed to the elements. Use the attic to store anything that is impervious to heat. Heat can damage items such as photographs and wood.
What should not be stored in an attic?
10 Items You Should Never Store In The AtticPaints, cleaning products, or other toxins. ... Anything that is highly flammable. ... Delicate holiday decorations. ... Art is never good to store in the attic. ... Leather products. ... Cardboard boxes. ... Musical instruments. ... Anything wool (or made from natural fibers)More items...•
How do you know if you can store stuff in your attic?
You can make an attic suitable for storage by first assessing the space and checking if the space is structurally sound and how much weight it can hold. We would recommend consulting a professional if you are unsure about your attic space – they will be able to tell you if it's suitable to be used as storage.
How much weight can you store in attic?
On average an attic can hold about 10lbs per square foot. The attic is the best place for when you want to utilize space in your house and they are specifically designed to hold storage, but they can even be turned into a bedroom or a functional space.
Do clothes get ruined in the attic?
An attic is typically devoid of natural light and can be hot and humid. It is easy for mold, mildew, and musty odors to develop on or in clothing in a dank, dark environment. When clothes are not stored in airtight containers, moisture can sneak in and begin destroying fibers.
Is it safe to store photos in the attic?
DON'T: Store photos in a basement, attic, or garage where temperatures and humidity fluctuate with the change of seasons or reach extreme highs. DO: Store photos in closets, cabinets, or under the bed. These locations, being part of your living quarters, will be climate controlled.
Can attic floor support weight?
On average, an attic that has not been designed specifically for storage or already converted into a habitable room can hold 10lbs per square foot.
How do I reinforce my attic for storage?
How to Reinforce an Attic Floor with Sister JoistsClear the Joist Spaces. Pull out all insulation and any debris from all of the joist spaces so you can see the full length of each joist, including where it meets the exterior walls. ... Measure the Old Joists. ... Cut the Sister Joists. ... Install the Sister Joists. ... Install Blocking.
Can you store things on top of attic insulation?
The bigger issue comes when the stuff is being stored on top of the insulation, compressing it. "The kind of stuff being stored isn't important; how it's stored is," Weisman said. "When you have boxes or even plywood thrown on top of insulation, you compress it.
Can my attic support a bedroom?
If your roof is supported by trusses, you will probably not have the space in your attic to build a room. You would need to relocate the trusses to create the space and ceiling height required by building codes. This would require an architect, engineer and a significant financial investment.
Is attic safe to walk?
If you don't have a floor, you'll have to walk on the joists. When doing so, be careful not to place all your weight on one joist. Not only is this a fall hazard, but it can also cause the joist to bow and crack the drywall below. This also means you don't want to sit, stand, or kneel on one joist for too long.
How do I turn my attic into a room?
0:345:31Converting An Attic to a Bedroom - West Tenth update - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd. So it made a lot of sense to convert. This big attic into a master bedroom if you look behindMoreAnd. So it made a lot of sense to convert. This big attic into a master bedroom if you look behind me at the framing. All the dark wood that's original framing to the house that's 150. Years old all
What items can be stored in an attic?
Things You Can Store in an AtticSeasonal Decorations and Goods. Assortment of Christmas ornaments. ... Household Items. Assortment of camping gear next to tent. ... Off-Season or Outgrown Clothing. Young woman packing out of season clothes in suitcase. ... Books and Toys. Woman packing boxes of books.
Can I store toilet paper in the attic?
None of the above items will “go bad” if you store them in a hot attic....✅ toilet paper (a perfect match since it's bulky)✅ soap, floss and other personal care products✅ blankets, tarps, tents✅ sheets✅ gardening tools✅ wood6 more rows•May 10, 2022
Why do pests like to live in attics?
Pests love to make attics their home. There, rodents and other pests have a protected, warm, and predator free space to rest or grow their families . This poses multiple problems. First and most importantly, pests are disease carriers and their waste products are toxic. These fumes travel through structural materials and also through HVAC ducts and into your homes conditioned air system.
Can you move fiberglass batts around?
Unless your house is 10 years old or less, odds are you have fiberglass insulation batts in place. You may even have these in a newer home if the contractor was trying to save money. Unfortunately, while these are safe insulation materials, fiberglass batts shouldn’t be moved around on a regular basis.
Here is what a roofer would say when asked if one should store items in their attic
The answer: No. Do not ever store items in your attic space. The reason is linked with your home’s insulation and ventilation.
Where do homeowners go wrong?
Many fall short when they decide to use their attic as a storage room. Using your attic as storage disrupts the process of attic ventilation and causes potential ice dams.
Why is my attic getting colder?
However, if you’re experiencing colder drafts in your attic, it may be because you have some air leaks. Air leaks can also affect that energy bill!
What is the best place to store stuff?
Attics are a pretty common place to store all of your stuff. Between holiday decorations, out-of-season clothing, and even a few boxes of memorabilia, it’s the prime free storage space for your home. However, it’s also standing in the way of one crucial benefit that houses in colder climates may want: Making the house warmer.
Is it bad to use the attic as storage?
To be completely honest, using the attic as storage space isn’t a bad practice. In fact, with a space as roomy as the attic (and not as wet as a basement) it makes perfect sense to use that space. However, for those who are in colder climates, it may be time to reconsider.
Can you insulate the floor of your basement?
And save you money on that heat bill. Cha-ching, cha-ching. Yes, it’s true. You can cut your heating bills by properly insulating your attic —including the floor.
Can you cut your heating bill by insulating your attic?
Yes, it’s true. You can cut your heating bills by properly insulating your attic —including the floor. This means less of the house that will need to be heated, which means less heating used altogether. Except for losing the storage space, it sounds like an easy win-win.
Is it better to have a properly insulated house?
Now, this doesn’t just apply to people living in warmer climates. Having a properly insulated house is beneficial for keeping your house warmer, but also cooler in hotter climates.
Is It Safe to Store Your Belongings in the Attic?
Before you move all your unused items to the attic, ask yourself the following questions:
Self Storage Plus is Your Storage Solution
If you’ve weighed the above considerations and decided that your attic space isn’t the right place to store your belongings, you can rely on Self Storage Plus. Unlike your attic, our climate controlled storage units offer temperature regulation, making them the perfect place to keep any belongings that are temperature sensitive.
Why Use Climate-Controlled Storage Units?
Climate-controlled storage units provide a consistent temperature no matter the season. Whether it’s summer or winter, your items stay sheltered from the damaging effects of extreme heat, cold, and humidity. You can’t get that in your attic storage space unless it’s a finished, insulated area with climate control. At Go Store It, we can help you pick out a self storage space for your personal belongings and keep them protected throughout the year.
Where to store crafting supplies?
Extra crafting supplies can go in the attic as long as they’re kept out of direct sunlight. Consider your attic for storing project bins with items like yarn, construction paper, and thread.
Is the attic too hot for storage?
Is the Attic Too Hot to Use for Storage at Home? When it comes to attic storage, you can never be too careful with the things you store away. Most people use the attic as their personal self storage space , but it’s not always the best place to keep temperature-sensitive items.
Can you store photos in the attic?
You never want to store temperature-sensitive possessions like photo albums in your attic. The high heat and humidity will ruin the photos and similar items such as posters and paintings.
How much headroom is needed in an attic?
The headroom in the attic will determine how much usable floor space you have. While local codes vary, many communities will not permit the ceiling in a finished living area (attics included) to be lower than 6’ 8” to 7’6” from the floor. That doesn’t mean you can’t use the attic areas where the sloped ceiling is lower; that space just won’t count toward your home’s official living space. For example, you could construct storage cabinets or cubbies in the low-sloped sides of the attic; when an appraiser measures the square footage of the finished attic, though, only the portion where the ceiling meets minimum height standards will be recorded as living space.
How far apart should joists be in an attic?
Beyond the size of joists, the spacing between them should also be taken into consideration. Standard joist spacing for the installation of attic flooring materials is 16 inches on center (OC), meaning the distance from the center of one joist to the center of the next joist is 16 inches. Joists in attics that were never intended for ...
What is bridging in attic flooring?
Bridging: If the existing joist system is very close to being sufficient to support a new attic flooring, the addition of bridging between the joists may be all that’s required. Bridging involves cutting new wood members and installing them perpendicularly between the existing joists. This serves to stabilize the joists and reduce sagging. Bridging is usually installed in every joist space, and multiple bridge members are often required.
What is LVL in attic?
Addition of LVLs: Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is manufactured through a heat and pressure process that produces wood beams that are much stronger for their size than ordinary wood. Depending on your attic structure, an engineer may recommend the installation of LVLs between the existing joists to bring the floor structure up to code.
Can 2x6 joists be used for attic flooring?
If your joists are 2x6s or 2x8s, they are not adequate for supporting attic flooring in a new living area (and the furnishings and humans who will use them).
Do you have to install attic flooring?
Attic flooring intended for a living space must be installed in compliance with building codes. Some communities will allow homeowners to do their own construction, but they are still subject to all inspections required by the building authority.
Can you convert an attic floor to a living room?
If your existing attic flooring isn’t adequate for conversion to a living space, all is not lost. Virtually any attic floor can be brought up to code—it’s just a matter of how much additional structural support it will require.
Structural Safety
Safe Access
- Many attics are accessible via square holes in the ceiling that require users to delicately balance on a stepping stool, counter, or ladder to hoist themselves up. Moving down and up into the attic while carrying boxes or furnishings is a major safety hazard. If you plan to use your attic as a bona fide storage area, schedule a consultation with a licensed contractor and determine the best wa…
Replace Outdated Insulation
- Unless your house is 10 years old or less, odds are you have fiberglass insulation batts in place. You may even have these in a newer home if the contractor was trying to save money. Unfortunately, while these are safe insulation materials, fiberglass batts shouldn’t be moved around on a regular basis. In addition to compromising their R-value and minimizing their energ…
Make Sure Your Attic For Storage Is Pest Free
- Pests love to make attics their home. There, rodents and other pests have a protected, warm, and predator free space to rest or grow their families. This poses multiple problems. First and most importantly, pests are disease carriers and their waste products are toxic. These fumes travel through structural materials and also through HVAC ducts and into your homes conditioned air s…
Update Attic Ventilation and Moisture Control
- Finally, adequate ventilation and moisture control are a must. These are actually mainstays of a healthy attic and whole-home energy system anyway. By ensuring adequate ventilation and moisture control in the attic, you’ll simultaneously improve energy efficiencyand indoor air quality. If you’re converting your attic into a storage space, attic ventilation andmoisture control are dou…