Your attic is an obvious place to store old holiday decorations and items you just don't use very often, but without proper preparation, your attic could end up damaging or ruining those items. Here is how to prepare an attic for storage.
Unused household items, holiday supplies, and piles of unread books are only some of the things you store in your attic. A sealed, adequately insulated, and well-ventilated attic has more to offer than simply a place for attic storage. You can transform your unfinished attic into a play center, office, library, craft room, dressing room, and extra closet if you desire.
If you choose to keep it as purely attic storage space, however, you can take it to the next level with attic storage ideas such as attic shelving, pegboards, closet rods, and an additional attic floor (if your attic can support the weight between floor joists). When you put your house on the market in the future, homebuyers will be impressed with the storage solution available in your home. The only limit is your imagination.
Read this guide on how to prepare an attic for storage and more.
The number one step in preparing the attic space storage is to seal all air leaks. Air leaks are gaps in the attic doors, windows, ceilings, walls, and attic flooring that air can travel through. Air sealing stops outside air from entering and your conditioned air from exiting the house so you don’t waste energy warming or cooling your home.
Apart from providing energy efficiency, having an adequately sealed attic controls the moisture in the attic. If the outside air is allowed to interact with the conditioned air in the attic, the temperature inconsistency can lead to water droplets forming and settling on your things, resulting in mold, mildew, and water damage.
Outdoor air also brings in dust, debris, allergens, contaminants, pollen, dirt, and other unwanted particles. Sealing the air leaks in the attic can drastically decrease the dirt and dust build-up on your attic items.
To ensure that you seal the attic right and tight, it is best to consult a certified attic specialist. First, you may not have access to the required materials and tools like CO2 detectors and caulk guns. Second, it involves a sophisticated process. It may prove too much for the DIYer, from pressurizing your house to checking the drafting.
Attic insulation and sealing air leaks share the same benefits: insulation lowers the cost of heating and cooling, keeps your indoor temperature stable, and improves your homes indoor air quality. All of these benefits preserve the integrity of the items stored in the attic. But insulation does more than help convert attic to storage. Without insulation, an attic can become too hot or uncomfortably cold, making it the last room any family member would like to be in.
Spray foam attic insulation can help with these extreme temperatures, and its space-saving benefit will enable you to turn your attic into an extra room if you wish to.
The additional space increases your home's market value, whether you turn it into a bonus room or a spare bedroom. However, check the building codes with your local planning department before turning your attic space into a living area.
Attic fans, particularly solar attic fans, improve the air circulation in the attic without the need for electricity. Without a solar attic fan to ventilate, the heat and moisture that collects in the attic can give way to toxic mold and rot growing on your treasured keepsakes.
In warmer climates like Dallas, solar attic fans work to push excess heat out and pull cooler air into your attic. This ventilation can help maintain a cooler temperature in the attic storage space, which can help protect stored items.
Heat build-up in your attic also radiates to the rooms below. Solar attic fans aid in cooling the living spaces underneath the attic.
Solar attic fans' edge is that it is virtually maintenance-free. Air sealing and attic insulation require periodic checks but solar attic fans run solely on the sun's power and automatically turn on when you need them the most on scorching days. Plus, you may qualify for an extra tax credit.
Along with all the dollars you will save because of lower cooling bills, you may also be able to take advantage of a 30% credit from the U.S. government on the installation cost.
Being exposed to the sun's rays most of the time, the attic and items stored in it can suffer from possible material damage. Radiant barriers work to deflect the sunlight away from your home. A radiant barrier is another tool in your arsenal to support you in your goal to keep the heat from damaging your things.
If ever you wonder if attic insulation, solar attic fans, and radiant barriers still serve a purpose on cooler days, they do. All three help keep the attic free from moisture and maintain the correct temperature so as not to damage your possessions during the winter.
There are many advantages of having a finished attic storage.
You likely have lots of unused space in your attic right now. Certified attic specialists report that you can instantly have 50% more floor space after an attic storage conversion. Why not make your attic a secure, functional area by investing in attic ventilation and radiant barriers? At the very minimum, reach out to a certified attic specialist to ensure that your air sealing and insulation are up to speed.
A messy house can shoot your stress levels through the roof. Keep your home tidier and organized by utilizing the attic flooring for storage. Pick the items you don't need and safely place them in storage in the attic.
Can't let go of some family heirlooms because of their sentimental value? You'll have peace of mind that you have a properly insulated and ventilated attic to hold these precious items.
