An attic is the indoor area located in a home under the rooftop. They are great utility spaces to store things that are not needed regularly – camping & fishing gear, empty travel & luggage bags, empty carton boxes, festival decorations, holiday clothing, sports equipment, toys etc. However, since they are placed directly under the roof usually filling the space between top floors and slanting or sloping roofs, the ceiling heights may vary and some areas may be shaped awkwardly with nooks and corners out of reach.
Attics are of two types – unfinished and finished. Unfinished attics make great storage spaces where cupboards and other built-in space can be put up; however where there is scope for expansion attics can be converted into living areas for the home – e.g. attic cleaning in Mill Valley, CA. attic cleaning in Mill Valley. spare bedroom, additional children’s bedroom, studio, library, work area or any other purpose. Such attics are called expansion attics.
A finished attic is one that is already designed as part of the living area of a house, like a master bedroom for instance.
Usually attics remain closed most of the time without room for fresh air and light to circulate. An attic that is not properly or adequately insulated or ventilated can soon become stuffy and hot where stale air and moisture accumulate. The insulation for attics is normally placed on the floor because of the uneven nature of the ceiling and to prevent air leaks to the rest of the house.
Not much importance is given to an attic if it is used only as a storage space but that neglect only leads to dust mites, bugs, insects and mold to accumulate and spread to other areas of the house through ceiling hatches, cooling and heating systems, recessed lighting etc. leading to health problems.
A small attic space can be cleaned regularly by the homeowner without allowing too much dirt and dust to accumulate. Some basic steps to clean an attic in a DIY way are:
Using an electro-statically charged cloth or duster that can wipe off accumulated dirt from door and window frames, fans, light fixtures, walls, door and window frames, rafters etc.
A high efficiency filter vacuum clear with a filter bag that will remove the smallest microscopic organisms
Wearing a health and safety face mask that effectively filters airborne particles
If the above methods seem cumbersome or if the homeowner is prone to dust allergies and infections, the safest best would be to call in the services of a professional cleaner. Factors that influence pricing are nature of the cleaning, region and period of the year.
