Preparing Your Attic for Rainy Season

 

Your attic is often one of the first lines of defense between the interior of your home and the outside. If your attic is not prepared for the rainy season, then the rest of your home is in danger of facing water damage or mold growth. By taking a few simple steps, you can save yourself a lot of time and money in repairs later. Here's how to get everything ready before more April showers come along:

 

Inspect Your Roof

Before constant, tedious rain begins to fall, give your attention to your roof. Ensure any potential problem areas are inspected and found so that repairs can be completed in time. If you have a leaky roof, it's essential that you install new shingles before it's too late and the water damage travels through your house.

 

Air Duct Cleaning

Did you know that debris and dirt in your air ducts and vents can prevent air from circulating in your attic? When this space doesn't have constant air moving freely, dampness and moisture can fester.

There are many sources of moisture that can affect your attic or crawlspace. Open vents, lack of a vapor barrier, un-vented appliances, and foundation sidewall penetration can allow enough dampness to keep the humidity levels excessively high. This, in turn, causes odors to appear, and bugs and critters that like damp environments will want to come and invade your space. Make sure you get those ducts properly cleaned for the season!

 

Invest in Seals and Insulation

The best way to prevent mold from growing in your attic during the rainy season is by having a tight seal around areas where water could seep through, such as windows or vents. And the moment you suspect there's a leak or issues with your insulation, it's time to contact a professional.

It's important to ensure that all leaks are sealed and any exposed insulation is protected from mold growth or insect infestation. If you don't take care of these things, then the rest of your home will be in danger!

Get In Touch With Us For All Your Cleaning and Restoration Needs

From attic cleanings to water damage removal, cleaning and organizing your home can be challenging to deal with, and it is often best to bring in some professionals to help. Contact GreenPro Cleaning and Restoration to take care of your ducts, attics, crawl spaces, and water damage needs.

4 Common Problems to Find in Your Attic

For most homeowners, the attic is just a dark, creepy place to keep the stuff that you will probably never use again. It is nothing more than an afterthought... until there is a problem that is. For something that receives so little attention, attics have the potential to open the door to a lot of issues in the home.

Here are four of the most common problems you might run into in your attic:

1. Mold Growth

If you think back to your middle school science class, you will remember that warm air rises. You will also recall that warm air holds more moisture than cold air does. The warm, moist air in your home generated from cooking, showering, and even breathing rises to your attic, where it invites mold to grow. Mold can cause structural damage to your home and even affect the health of your family.

2. Animal Infestation

The question often isn't “are there pests in my attic?”, it's “what kind of pests are in my attic?”. It is not uncommon for a variety of critters to infest your living space and make it their own. Some animals commonly found in residential attics include squirrels, raccoons, mice, rats, bats, birds, and bugs.

3. Poor Insulation

The attic is one of the primary sources of heat loss during the winter months. Warm air rises to the top of your home, and if it isn't properly insulated, all that money you spend on heating is going right out the window – err, roof.

4. Insufficient Ventilation

If you don't have a source of ventilation in your attic, you are doing a disservice to your home and family. A well-ventilated attic can eliminate excess moisture to prevent mold, keep your cooling costs down during the summer by removing hot air, and improve your indoor air quality.

Are you experiencing any of these problems in your Long Island home? Call the attic cleaning experts at GreenPro Cleaning &Restoration! Whether you have mold, pests, extra junk, or anything else you need to get rid of, we can do it in a quick, safe, environmentally-friendly manner. We serve all of Nassau County and Suffolk County, give us a call today at (631) 940-8100.