I grew up with parents who used the attic of our house extensively. My dad put boards for storage, built shelving, added lighting and more. A table was in the middle of the attic for wrapping Christmas presents and doing other projects. My parent’s attic was neatly organized and nothing was difficult to access. There was hardly a square foot of space in the attic that wasn’t used for something. You might imagine that I inherited my dad’s propensity for attic organization. I wish my dad was alive to see my attic today.
When performing an inspection, I never know what I’m going to find when I open the attic stairs. Some attics don’t have a single extra item in them except the ducts, equipment, insulation, etc. Other attics look like no one has ventured into it for years and look like a graveyard of all sorts of junk. Then, on the other hand, there are many people who use their attic space for great amounts of storage that are so packed that the HVAC equipment and water heaters cannot be accessed. If you’re going to use your attic for storage, there are several important things to keep in mind.
Make sure that any platforms used for storage and walking / crawling access are secured to the ceiling joists so they won’t move when walked upon. Walkways should be a minimum of 24” wide and constructed of at least ¾” plywood. Service platforms for HVAC equipment and water heaters should be a minimum of 30” x 30” in front of the control side of the unit. I see way too many boards that were casually put up in an attic and just laid on top of the ceiling joists without being secured in place. A loose board and/or one that is too thin can be extremely dangerous! Another person on another day could step on it, and the board move in such a way that the person could trip, lose their balance, or fall through the sheetrock. I recommend that you screw all the boards in the attic in place. They’ll be easy to remove in the event a board has to ever be moved for access to wiring or plumbing or some other reason.
Do not block the access to the HVAC equipment and/or any water heaters in the attic with storage items. Do not place any items in water heater or HVAC overflow pans – keep them clean of all debris and any other items. Clear unobstructed access needs to be maintained to all equipment at all times.
Do not store flammable items in the attic, such as paint, aerosol cans, etc. Builders often leave left over paint from a newly constructed house in the attic. Move these to another location or throw them away.
The attic is not a dumpster! It’s amazing how much trash is left in attics, such as old ductwork and plenums that were replaced, discarded components, boxes, and trash from HVAC technicians, electricians, and plumbers. If it’s trash, remove it from the attic and throw it away.
Think clean and organized in your attic, and make sure that all equipment has safe, secure, and unobstructed (as much as possible) access. Stay safe and clean in your attic my friends.
