As your attic is hidden away from view, you might not give it a second thought each day. Yet, the unused space can determine your property’s health and value.
Even if you have no reason to question an attic’s quality, it might have sinister problems that can damage your home’s safety and price. If you’re unsure whether to review this space, find out why you need an annual attic inspection.
Insulation Issues
Poor insulation can cause warm air to escape from your home and cold air to enter. If your property feels more than a little chilly during fall and winter, your attic might be to blame for the unpleasant temperature.
During an attic inspection, you must review the state of any attic insulation, as it might be the culprit of a bitterly cold or an unbearably warm home. You can then take steps to repair or replace insulation to enjoy more comfortable temperatures throughout the seasons.
Problematic Pests
Many small animals love the freedom of an uninhabited attic. If you aren’t using your attic regularly, you can almost guarantee some form of pest is living there.
Common pests you will find in an attic include:
- Rats
- Mice
- Raccoons
- Termites
- Spiders
- Wasps
- Birds
An annual attic inspection could help you to identify and remove any unwanted critters or pests from your home. Always release birds into the wild and contact animal control for raccoons, but you must call pest control to eliminate unwanted rodents, termites, spiders, wasps, and other pests. Gulf Coast Exterminators has provided reasonably priced and very effective Humble TX pest control for over 20 years.
Unwanted Mold
Attics can become humid, moist environments, especially if a roof has one or more issues, such as a leak, missing tiles, or cracks. A wet environment can cause the development of mold, which may result in dark patches in various crevices across your attic.
Mold is more than unsightly, as it can cause various health issues for a property’s residents, especially if a person is sensitive to it.
For example, mold may cause:
- Itchy, red eyes and/or skin
- Wheezing
- Stuffy nose
For these people, exposure to molds may lead to symptoms such as a stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes and skin. Also, people with asthma or a mold allergy might experience a severe respiratory issue following mold exposure.
In addition to impacting your health, mold may cause damage to your property’s structural integrity, as it may destroy your framing, floorboards, or insulation.
If you’re worried about mold growth, look for ways to improve your attic’s ventilation. For instance, install soffit and ridge vents to take air from the attic’s lowest point (soffit) and push it through the highest attic point (ridge).
A Leaky Roof
A leaking roof can not only cause mold, but it may result in damaged rafters, ceiling joists, wall framing, and structural erosion. Common signs of a leaky roof include damaged drywall, water stains, and flooring damage, but the issue might be severe at this point.
An annual attic inspection could help you identify a roof leak before it spirals out of control, protecting your home’s structural integrity. Homeowners can often repair minor leaks, but they may need to call in an experienced roofer to tackle major problems.
How to Inspect Your Attic
Performing an attic inspection is simple with a little know-how. Before stepping inside the space, you would be smart to wear a hard hat, dust mask, and safety glasses to protect yourself from leaks, beams, nails, and particles. Also, inspect an attic on a rainy day to spot any leaks in your roof. Don’t turn on a light or torch right away, as it could help you identify daylight flowing through any holes or leaks.
When entering an attic, you must walk on joists or a piece of plywood positioned across the rafters to distribute your weight. Walking on insulation or ceiling drywall may cause you to fall through the ceiling, causing damage to your property while impacting your health. It may even help to take photographs, which you can inspect once you have left your attic.
Conclusion
An annual attic inspection will help you identify minor problems before they become major issues. You might not love the idea of stepping inside the dark, dusty space, but doing so could protect your property and family’s health. A few minutes of your time each year could eliminate potentially expensive issues while protecting your home’s resale value.
