3 Things You Need To Stop Storing In Your Attic Now
Having an attic is a great advantage for any home, offering lots of extra, dedicated storage space completely out of the way of the rest of your home. Despite how convenient it is to have an attic, though, there's also a lot that can go wrong. Whether storing family heirlooms, out of season clothes, or old holiday decorations, you need to be careful with what you choose to store and how you choose to store things in your attic.
Factors like improper attic insulation, bugs and pest infestations, moisture regulation issues like mold or mildew, and extremely high or cold temperatures can all cause damage not only to the attic but to the things you store in it, per Atticare. While attics are protected from events like flooding, they are vulnerable to a slew of other potential issues. Even if you are highly attentive to and cautionary about common attic issues, there are still some things you should avoid storing in your attic entirely.
Leather and fur
If you have clothing you don't wear often or that is out of season, storing it in your attic may seem like a great idea — and for many articles of clothing, it is. As long as you keep all of it, especially old and sentimental items, in airtight bags or bins, you're good to go. But there are some materials that should never be stored in your attic.
According to Uooz.com, leather and fur are not suitable for attic storage, even if you wrap them in a plastic bag or bin. No matter how airtight your storage is, the changing weather can and will still cause wear and tear on your leather and fur goods. These articles of clothing should be stored in cool, dry, and dark conditions, per Closet Works. Cloth garment bags are fine for extra protection but you should definitely avoid plastic bags.
Musical instruments
Another item you should absolutely never store in your attic is musical instruments. If you're not regularly playing them, it may seem like the best option as opposed to having them take up unnecessary space. However, storing instruments in your attic is essentially a death sentence.
As Jam Addict points out, musical instruments need very specific storage requirements. Among these requirements are temperature and moisture regulation, as well as pest control. Wooden instruments like string instruments or drums can be eaten away by bugs, as well as damaged by expansion and retraction due to fluctuating temperatures and humidity. If you insist on storing them in your attic, you'll need to invest in some serious temperature control upgrades. Otherwise, dedicate a spare room of your house to instrument storage, or expertly incorporate the pieces into the decor of your house. While larger musical instruments like pianos or drum sets may be a little more difficult to weave in, smaller instruments like guitars, banjos, or brass instruments can be mounted to walls for decoration and storage (via Guitar.com).
Paint
If you have leftover paint after an art project or home renovation, there are plenty of safe and effective places to store it, but the attic is not one of them. While it may be convenient, paint is a flammable material, which Attic Solutions USA notes will off gas. When combined with temperature fluctuations, it's the perfect recipe for an attic fire. The off-gas toxins can also get into your HVAC system and cause a fire that way.
Any item that is even slightly flammable, including cleaning products, anything in an aerosol can, etc., should never be stored in your attic. That doesn't mean you can't store these items somewhere, though — even a garage or shed offers better conditions for them. Anywhere cool, dark, and dry is always ideal for paint and other flammable items. The wood and insulation in attics, though, are uniquely conducive for a fire to start.