Moisture and attic temperature are related. Your homes geographic location determines how much insulation you need. If you're experiencing severe storms, you should inspect your attic more frequently. Homeowner's Attic Checklist 1. Just like so many components of one's house, the attic plays a strategic role in the home's overall condition in terms of structural stability, energy efficiency and fire safety." or "Didn't think it was safe. If you see something you think is out of place, take a picture and discuss your concerns with a professional. Are there any issues with structural members? Inspecting your rafters and trusses for cracked, broken and sagging sections should be part of every attic visit. 5. About Author Tina Gleisner :. These are unwanted sources of moisture and need to be redirected to leave your house. It's usually one of the last places to be repaired or renovated during the life of the home. This problem should be fixed right away. When later asked about the attic, homeowners may respond with, "Never had any reason to go up there .Moisture is common in attics and needs to be exhausted to the outside.

We see other problems too  wires chewed by rodents or worse, dead animals that finally explain why there's a strange smell in the house. That's a clue that heat is escaping from the rooms below the attic and you're wasting money heating unused attic space. The attic will always reveal a great deal about the house. Is the roof decking plywood or OSB? Bonded Aluminum Mylar Tape Company What is its condition? Is the bottom of your roof warped, water stained, or deteriorated? Does it appear to have been painted over or is it discolored? Many insurance companies will not replace roofs for interior fires, instead authorizing payment only for repainting smoke damaged framing and decking. This violates building codes but most homeowners don't know the codes and don't realize why this is a problem. For example, we often find heating/cooling duct work that's come loose and that's not a difficult problem to fix. But quite interestingly, the history of the house, while not obvious at other locations, can frequently be understood when viewing the attic. Unless you've got a finished attic, you probably only climb into your attic to put away holiday decorations or store things you might need for a few years. The best way to learn how to do the job yourself, is to schedule a home inspector and accompany them to learn from a pro.

Generally speaking, your attic temperature should be no more than 10 to 15F degrees higher than the outside air temperature. These are just a few reminders of what to look for in an attic. Your home's location, square footage of the attic and the slope of the roof all dictate the amount of ventilation required. Is my attic adequately insulated? When it's cold outside the attic, it is probably warm inside.Accessing your attic can be quite problematic - that little access panel in the attic isn't easy to crawl through and even pull down stairs aren't fun. Once you start inspecting your attic every year, you'll begin to learn what looks right, making it easier to spot changes which might signal a problem. Too often we find soffit vents blocked preventing fresh air from coming in or walls of boxes blocking the flow of air between gable vents on either side of the attic.While the second response may be true for the inexperienced homeowner, we do recommend homeowners become aware of and comfortable with what goes on in their attics.

Are there kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans terminating in the attic? Too often when homes are built, the easy solution to venting bathroom fans is to run the duct work up to the attic. You can work through what you need by starting with Energy Star's Recommended Levels of Insulation or you can get an energy audit which will tell you where your air leaks are and how to fix them. Is my attic properly ventilated? When you don't have adequate ventilation, you're at risk of a whole host of problems ranging from delaminating roof sheathing, water streaks on interior walls and rotting of wood framing. Getting To Know Your Attic When a home inspector finds an attic hatch sealed with paint he knows that no one has ever been up there. Attics can tell you about the condition of your home and Clint McKie (from Desert Sun Home Inspections) reveals some secrets about it that can save you time and money.

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