Attic Maintenance: Keep Your Space Clean by Chafin Communities

Most homeowners rarely go into their attics. At the most, it’s two times a year. Once to take the holiday decorations down and the other time is to put them up. But when it comes to attic maintenance this is a great time to look around. You can see if anything needs cleaning or repair.

Regular attic maintenance helps keep your home in good condition. This will save you headaches in the long run. A large portion of the air in your home circulates through the attic so keep it clean. Dust, mold, and allergens can start growing in this neglected space.

Attic Water Leaks 

Making this a yearly or bi-yearly event can help homeowners tackle problems. Water leaks are a common cause of insulation damage. Remove old or damaged insulation. Leaks can cause mold, which can spread throughout the home if not fixed.  Mold can be toxic and should be abated in a professional manner to not cause health problems.

Sealing Is A Must

Attic sealing is paramount in rodent proofing your home. They can enter through eaves, loose boards, gaps. Rodent and insulation contamination are common issues in the attic. These holes can bring in new unwanted residents in warmer and colder months.

By this we mean rodents. Squirrels, bats, mice and rats run across branches, power lines and roof tops. If there’s a hole to get out of the nasty weather, a warm place in your attic is their new home. During the warmer seasons these holes and air leaks can cause moisture and condensation in the attic. Which in turn can lead to mold.

Ventilate Your Attic

Make sure that all your air ducts from your HVAC system, bathroom, kitchen are routed outside of the home. These vents should not ventilate that air into the attic. Trapped air can cause condensation which mold loves. Bacteria can fester leading to overgrowth of unsanitary conditions. Make sure that all vents are clear and the air is able to flow freely. If your attic is not properly ventilated and insulated it can cost you through your furnace.

Do not store cardboard boxes in the attic. Instead invest in plastic storage bins because mold loves to grow on cardboard. We touch on this in our last article: How To Keep Unfinished Basement Spaces Safe and Dry

Inspect Your Insulation

If your insulation has fallen below the floor joist, you’ll need to add more. Insulation should be evenly distributed. If your insulation shows signs of dampness, mold, or mildew then you will want to replace it. Finally by checking and inspecting your attic two times a year will prevent major repairs in the future. You can keep abreast of damages, pests, mold, and mildew.

You may also want to visit our blog and read some interesting articles on How To Keep Your Basement Safe and Dry.