Sending You Warm Holiday Wishes…from my attic!
What’s Lurking In Your Attic?
I don’t know about you, but we store all of our holiday dĂ©cor in our attic. Oh what a fun place to travel. It’s cold and a big mess up there. If you are making a trip up to the attic, you may be surprised to find what’s lurking up there. When I went into the lighting dĂ©cor box I noticed that the bag was wet at the bottom. When I asked David, why this was happening he said we have to make sure our 1910 chimney is properly flashed and then he added in jest “Good thing we know some roofers!”
While the attic is a prime location to store family mementos, seasonal clothes and holiday decorations, it’s also a place for some unwanted things-no not that old box of clothes from college that you will never wear again. It’s a prime hiding spot for pests, water leaks, damaged electrical wiring, and insulation problems. So, when you’re up in the attic, make sure to check out this list. Do it while you’re grabbing your holiday decorations.
Check out for any water leakage.
You want to check this out before it’s too late—especially when Nor’easters are heading this way! First, look around your chimney for water in boxes or on the floor. Then, check the roof directly above the spot. Also, look for stains, black marks, or mold where moisture appears on the ceiling. Next, inspect for dampness or water stains around nearby roof penetrations. Water stains on a chimney and rotted wood nearby show past leaks. Meanwhile, damp streaks indicate it’s leaking again. You may also notice interior ceiling stains caused by roof leaks dripping inside due to failing flashing. Rotted wood is often a sign of missing shingles or faulty flashing. Lastly, did you know light reflects off water? Shine a light in your attic during a rainstorm to spot those leaks.
Do you see mold?
I call this the M word. It’s a huge precaution in our house. This is because I am allergic and will have a never-ending cold all winter. Bathroom exhaust fans can vent into the attic instead of outside which causes moisture and mold to form. Check for these fans in your attic and move them to re-vent to outside instead.
How is your wiring?
Move those college boxes and check out the old electrical wiring buried underneath the insulation. When you find it, does it have gnawed marks? Rodents like to build nests in there and cause damage as they spread feces and chew through wires and cause fires. Make sure you place bright white traps (so you can see them while you are searching for your favorite ornaments) so you don’t step on them with your slippers.
Speaking of insulation…
inadequate or lack of insulation causes heat loss and ice dams in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Pros suggest having 10-12” of blown-in insulation in the attic. Is your attic the same temperature as the outside air? It should be!
The previous homeowner installed our current roof 8 years ago. Unfortunately, a roof this young should NOT be experiencing issues at this time.  Thankfully, as a roofing contractor we can correct this issue and also assure our customers that this would NOT happen with any Coastal Windows & Exteriors roofing jobs. At Coastal Windows & Exteriors we offer one of the best warranties in the roofing industry. We give all of our customers a proper contract stating all work that is to be performed AND a warranty. Please call (888) 812-2783 or email us with any questions and ALWAYS remember, an efficient product is only as good as its installation.
