The attic in your Dayton home is an important part of your home’s thermal envelope, for better or for worse. During the summer, the sun shining on your roof can heat attic spaces, and that heat can radiate downwards into your home. In the winter, warm air rising from throughout your home can make it into your attic spaces and escape into the outside world. If you’re planning on improving your attic space, you’ll need to consider attic safety. Here are some points to consider:
- What’s the current state of your attic? Is it structurally stable enough to walk in? Have you had humidity issues which might have allowed mold or mildew to develop? Is there blown-in or loose-fill insulation which might present a dust or breathing hazard, or has the insulation been up there long enough to begin to decay?
- What work are you planning on doing, or having done? Do you have all the correct tools and materials? Are you confident that you know what you’re doing? And, if you’ve hired a technician, do they have experience with this type of work? Have they come recommended? If you’ve hired an HVAC expert, are they licensed, bonded, and insured?
- What’s the weather like? Is your attic ventilated? If it’s a hot day and you’re working in an un-ventilated attic, temperatures may rise to dangerous degrees. Try to schedule work earlier in the morning, and make sure to hydrate.
- If there’s a fall risk in your attic, do you have anchor points and harnesses? Are you familiar with how to use them?
Improving your attic can offer major gains in the areas of energy efficiency and home comfort. Attic insulation, attic fans and other ventilation options are all possibilities for attic improvement projects.
If you want to learn more about attic improvements or attic safety in your home, call Ace Hardware Home Services today!
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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