Can we talk about how attics are always the creepiest parts of a house before we even start? They’re always dark and the light switch is always in a horrible spot. Plus, we all know ghosts and monsters exclusively exist in these rooms. More seriously, your attic might not be ideal storage for your precious belongings. There are a couple of reasons for this, some you can fix, and others are just the nature of the beast. Before asking yourself, “can I store stuff in my attic?” There are a few things you might want to consider.
Your Attic Is Unshielded From the Elements
The first thing to consider when you want to store your stuff in an attic, if how unshielded it is. Hard to believe, we know, as it is a part of your house, but it isn’t that well insulated from the outside. When it’s hot outside, the attic is like an oven, when it’s cold outside it may as well be a freezer. Temperature swings make an attic a horrible place to store furniture, photos, and more. If you’re storing items that are sensitive to temperature, consider climate-controlled storage. That way, your items stay unaffected by the outside weather conditions.
Be Careful What You Store in an Attic
Know what’s directly above the attic? It’s not a trick question; it’s your roof. Roofs have a horrible tendency to leak because regular maintenance isn’t done on them to prevent it. Even if your roof is well-maintained, an attic floor is just joists for the room below. This is not a sturdy foundation upon which to stack heavy boxes. If your joists are anything less than 4×8’s, we wouldn’t recommend storing much of anything heavy in that space.
Why don’t we recommend you store heavy stuff in your attic? Because attics have weak spots. Hearing about someone falling through their attic floor is not the most uncommon occurrence in the world. What happens when you want to get out those holiday decorations? It’s hazardous not only for your furniture but for you.
Breeding Grounds for Mildew and Mold
Attics have all manner of heating, cooling, and water pipes running through them. If even one of those pipes has a tiny leak, your belongings are at risk. How often do you check your attic pipes for leaks? Probably not as often as you should, and every day you don’t check the more of your stuff is at risk.
This brings us to our next point; the moisture in attics causes unwanted effects. Know that distinct smell of attics? Sort of musty? That’s probably mildew and potentially mold. Odds are it exists due to something leaking or because your bathroom vents empty into the attic instead of outside. In either case, not a great place to store your precious mementos. The last thing you want is photos of your family getting warped and faded over the years. Instead, we suggest properly storing your important documents and photos in a climate-controlled unit.
Can I Store My Stuff in an Attic?
In closing, the answer to “can I store stuff in my attic?” in the purest sense of the word is yes you can. However, what you’re storing needs to be very lightweight, and be able to take the harsh cold of winter and the dead heat of summer. If you don’t want to deal with everything that could go wrong, rent a storage unit from Hide-Away.
Even if you don’t rent a climate-controlled storage unit, our other units are safe and clean. We guard our facilities 24/7 with video monitors. Additionally, our keypad-controlled front gate adds an extra layer of security. Keep your stuff as safe as you can, protect it and store it someplace that will show it the love and care that you do. If your attic isn’t the place; stop by and let us take care of you.