Definition of "Attic"
An attic is an accessible room or space between the roof rafters and ceiling joists of a structure. The attic can be completely finished as a habitable place, complete with floors, insulation, beds, and furniture, like just another bedroom or home office. But when giving an attic definition, one can also refer to a sort of vacant space, unfinished, used as a storage room or not even that; just a gap filled with vacuum and void at the top of a house.
Why not filling this empty attic space? Lazyness, maybe. But that’s not to say that empty attics serve no purpose to the home; they are not really “dead” spaces. Attics serve the purpose of naturally controlling the temperature in the house by providing a large mass of slowly moving air. The heat produced by the residents in the lower floors get retained in attics, warming the home as a whole for longer periods of time. In fact, without proper refrigeration and ventilation, during the summer an attic can become an inhabitable place because of the intense heat. So much so that a modern building code will advise that even unoccupied attics should get proper ventilation from attic fans so there’s no accumulation of heat and moisture, thus reducing the proliferation of mold and other indoor allergies that could be creeping up on whoever lives in the house.
Because they are not proper rooms, attics are known to have unconventional shaped spaces, slanted ceilings, and are usually accessed through a hatch via a stair that serves no purpose but to connect the regular living space of the house to the attic.
Also called garret or sky parlor, the word attic comes from the Attica region of Greece as a nod to their architecture style which favored low decorative facades atop of a story in a building.
We hope our attic definition didn’t make you scared of all the indoor allergies that could be creeping up on you because of the lack of attic care and maintenance. But if it did try to declutter and make your home feel like new; we get the appeal of holding on to things, but one of those things you’re holding on to might be a disease, so declutter and live a healthier allergy free life!
Popular Real Estate Terms
Individuals, homeowners, and businesses often engage in disputes and conflicts that require fast resolution. However, everybody seeks to avoid legal proceedings. One amicable way to address ...
The real and personal assets of a person at the date of death. The distribution of the assets to the heirs depends on the provision of the will. If no will exists, the distribution is based ...
The term market segmentation is mostly used in marketing for assembling prospective buyers in groups based on their needs and their response to a marketing action. One definition of market ...
Provision permitting a lender to charge the borrower a penalty for repaying a loan before its due date. ...
Gradual and steady increase in the general price level which is bearable in the near term but may result in significant long-term price increases, See also galloping inflation. ...
Mortgage where the lender pays a borrower a fixed monthly payment based on the value of the property. It allows the borrower to receive monthly receipts against the equity in his or her ...
Claim on property by an unpaid workman or contractor. The property may be sold to recover the money owed. The legal justification of the mechanic's lien is that the labor and materials ...
part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which sees that complete disclosures are made for land sales. ...
Licensed real estate broker who has a listing of property for sale. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.