Your attic sits all alone at the top of your house and is often forgotten. But, should it be? When is the last time you have been in your attic?
Your attic needs to be cleaned and maintained just like any other room in your home.
Why do you need to clean your attic? We’ve got the answers you’re looking for, so keep reading to find out about attic cleaning importance.
Contents
Maximize Storage Space
Do you have personal belongings in your attic? When’s the last time you have gone through these items in your attic? You may be able to clear up some storage space by getting rid of things you no longer want or need.
Improve Air Quality
When you don’t clean your attic regularly, dust settles. This dust can get into your air ducts and then distributed through your home.
Too much dust can affect your respiratory system, leading to decreased lung function, asthma, and other issues. This is an easy fix by cleaning the dust out of your attic.
Mold can also grow in your attic, especially if you have had any issues with a leaky roof.
Another main cause of mold in attics is poor ventilation. When homeowners heat their homes in the winter, hot air escapes through the attic. Without proper ventilation, condensation builds up, causing moisture and mold.
Increase Energy Efficiency
Having a dirty attic affects the amount of energy used. How you may wonder? Most attics are made of walls, wooden beams, and sometimes flooring.
The wood naturally breaks down over time and creates small holes or cracks in the surface. The air inside your home finds its way out these cracks, causing your cooling and heating systems to work even harder to maintain the right temperature.
Keep Pests Out
If you have a dirty cluttered attic, you may have some other unwanted guests such as rats, bugs, squirrels, raccoons, termites, or mice. If you’re particularly unlucky, your attic might be playing host to bats too! Naturally, this is one of the worst cases of infestation you can get, as they’re able to fly and freely come and go. Contacting Bat Removal experts is your best case of action in this case, as they can be difficult to catch yourself and they’re a protected species in many places, which means they can’t be killed. Failing to deal with an infestation of any kind can lead to excessive noises while you try to sleep, bad smells and even health risks! These pests, along with their droppings, carry infectious diseases that can harm the health of your family.
These pests can also damage your home by chewing through insulation, wires, and wooden beams.
Attic Cleaning Tips
There is no doubt a clean and tidy attic is important to your home and your health. Here are some tips to keep it clean:
- Remove all your belongings so you can inspect all areas
- Dust all surfaces and use a long handle to reach higher areas
- Sort and get rid of items you don’t need
- Sweep and vacuum to remove any dirt, dead bugs, and other debris
- Clean windows
- Inspect your attic for air leaks, animal droppings, chew marks, and any structural damage
If you don’t want to tackle this project, you can always hire a professional, like Am:Pm Restoration and Construction Inc., for a thorough inspection and cleaning.
Tackle Your Attic Cleaning
Now, you know why it’s important to maintain and have a clean attic. You want to prevent roofing problems, keep out the pests, improve air quality, improve energy efficiency, and maximize your storage space.
Add attic cleaning to your home maintenance list, and inspect it once a year to see if everything is okay up there.
Looking for some other home advice? Keep reading our Home section to help you keep your home looking nice and feeling comfortable.