It is important not to overload the joists as it will cause them to bend and snap. Remember – attic joists are intended to support the weight of the roof and ceiling, nothing else.
Uninhabitable attics without storage can typically support 10 pounds per square foot, while those with storage can handle around 20 pounds per square foot. HVAC installations require proper weight distribution, access considerations, and potential reinforcement.
Safety concerns: Attics may not be designed to support heavy loads, raising safety concerns about overloading the attic with too many or too heavy items, potentially compromising the home's structural integrity.
Too much of anything is bad, including too much insulation in an attic. Over insulating your house and tightly sealing it too much creates a vapor barrier and forces moisture to settle on fixtures inside your home (hello, water damage!).
If you have an attic with joists measuring over 16 inches or reaching 24 inches OC, this is not ideal for the installation of flooring or converting your attic into a livable space. However, if you hire a contractor, they can offer advice on how to increase the structural support to get it there.
Look in the attic.
In unfinished attics where the frame of the house is exposed, it's easier to see where the beams connect. Follow the wall stud into the attic and see if it aligns with the joist. If the vertical stud runs perpendicular to the horizontal joist, there's a good chance it's load bearing.
Also, when laying down additional insulation, work from the perimeter toward the attic opening. Never lay insulation over recessed light fixtures or soffit vents. Keep all insulation at least 3 inches away from recessed "can" lights, unless they are rated IC (Insulated Ceiling).
Common Over-Ventilation Problems
Wasted energy can result from over-ventilation, which leads to higher energy bills. Ice dams can form on your roofing structure. Moisture can back up in this area and cause leaks and serious damage that otherwise wouldn't have occurred.
Cold Rooms, Walls, and Floors
If you find that a few of the rooms in your house are colder than the others, or if the ceiling and interior walls are cool when you touch them, it is a sign of improper insulation.
New build home roof trusses are designed and built to support the weight of the roof structure, storage items and an individual accessing and moving around in the loft. It is recommended that no more than 25Kg per square metre is stored in the loft to avoid over loading the structure.
Photos, Documents, Reading Materials, and Artwork. Old photos, documents, books, newspapers, magazines, artwork, and paintings are all off-limits for the attic, garage, or basement. These items are negatively affected by heat, humidity, bugs, and even light.
Pros of Blown-In Attic Insulation: Enhanced R-Value and Energy Efficiency: Blown-in insulation significantly improves your home's R-value, which is a measure of heat resistance. This means your home will stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, helping you save up to 30% on heating and cooling costs.
Inspect for Framework Damage
Another way to determine how much weight your attic can hold is to determine how much framework damage it has. Even if you seem to have a strong attic by outward appearance, unseen damage could still be weakening it just below the surface.
First of all, converting your attic into a living space must meet local building codes and regulations. This means you may need to hire an engineer to ensure the structural integrity of the space. You may also need to work on your home's electrical and HVAC infrastructure.
Loft and bunk beds weight limit: How much can they hold? The loft bed weight limit for kids is 150-200 lbs. The weight limit for adults is 250-500 lbs. The weight limit for custom loft beds is 600-2000 lbs.
The first sign of poor attic ventilation is when your upstairs rooms are uncomfortably hot. Without proper attic ventilation, the hot air gets trapped with no fresh air being pulled in. This heat radiates down into the living spaces below to the point where it won't be cool enough to be in them until the sun goes down.
Too much insulation will leave humidity and moisture to accumulate in your attic space. This can lead to mold growth on your walls and insulation. There might also be water damage to the support beams in your home's roof.
“Be mindful of venting too often.”
“When your venting becomes chronic and you keep venting to one person after another, it can increase rather than decrease your chronic stress.” Discussing your problems with someone you trust isn't a bad thing, “as long as it's not done for too long or too often,” Dr. Dhabhar says.
Do I Have To Remove Old Insulation? Unless your insulation is wet, moldy or infested with pests, you don't need to remove it before adding insulation on top of it. ENERGY STAR® recommends that you inspect your insulation for signs of mold, mildew, moisture and pest infiltration before making this determination.
Can I put plywood over insulation in the attic? Yes you can install plywood subflooring directly over the floor joists and insulation on your floor. You need to install rigid insulation boards on top of the attic flooring joists and then install plywood over the top.
Looking across your attic, if the insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation. If you cannot see any of the floor joists because the insulation is well above them, you probably have enough, and adding more insulation may not be cost-effective.
Before purchasing a house, it's important to hire a home inspector to evaluate the home from bottom to top—including the attic. This often-overlooked storage space can provide visual cues to potential problems in the safety and structural integrity of a home.
Many of the species that you have in your attic are nocturnal and are more likely to be active at night. This includes raccoons, bats, mice, rats, and flying squirrels.