4 Things Every Homeowner Should Check in Their Attic

open-atticMost people don’t spend a ton of time in their attic space — believe it or not! It’s not a fun place to work. It’s not a fun place to go into. In Plano, Texas your attic could be 160 degrees! Who wants to go up there in that heat? But even so, it’s important to know your attic. Here are the types of things you can check out in your attic:
1. Insulation:
You should know how much insulation, and what type of insulation is in your attic. Is it settling? If so, you’re losing value there. Is it moving away from a certain part of the house, or being blown around?
2. Rodents:
If you go into your attic and look around, you will be able to see if you have any rodent activity. Feces from rodents can lead to unhealthy air quality.
3. Leaks:
Go up into your attic and take a look at the roof. Is it leaking anywhere? Catching a leak early can save thousands of dollars!
4. Fans:
Are your fans working? If any of them are stuck, you might have airflow problems.
As you can see, there are a ton of systems in your attic space! In addition to everything we just listed, you probably have your air conditioner and heating units up there, too. There’s a lot going on in your attic! We recommend going up there 3-4 times a year. If you need to go up into the attic to chance your A/C filter, that’s a great time to walk around and check on things. Be careful not to step through your ceiling, but walk around as far as you can and check: Does my insulation look different than it did a few months ago? Do I have fans that aren’t working right now that should be, or that were working last quarter? When you have us come out, we check your airflow, your insulation levels and your heat reduction opportunities using a radiant barrier. We check to see if your electric fans are working. We’ll check to see what type of insulation you have and whether it’s settling if it’s been moved around or tunneled through by rodents, all those types of things. So as you can see, your attic is important, and it’s filled with important systems and products! If you put a little effort into maintaining that space and making sure that everything is working properly, it can lower your bills and help with the overall performance level and comfort of your home.
So check your attic out today! If you don’t feel comfortable doing it, come to the Collin County Home & Garden Show and talk with the knowledgeable folks at Energy Attic!