Attics are great for storage, but may homeowners unknowingly damage the effectiveness of their attic insulation when storing unused items in the attic. Just as a down comforter loses its warmth when the filling is compressed or clumped, your insulation loses effectiveness when it isn’t fully lofted. The most common insulation products must be at least 10 inches thick in order to meet current building code, so if you’re stacking boxes on your 2×6 attic floor joists, your insulation is only working at half its intended capability!
If you want your home to be warm and efficient, but still need usable attic storage space, consider a raised attic storage platform. Additional framing is installed on top of the existing attic floor joists to accommodate the full height of the insulation, and then the frame is capped with a plywood platform, complete with a curb around the perimeter so you don’t accidentally push a box off the platform edge. If you’re thinking of insulating your attic, be sure to inquire about installing a raised attic platform.
