Most homes in Arizona do not have a basement or full attic. Many ranch-style houses have very shallow lofts and can usually be accessed from the ceiling of the garage or carport and the master bedroom.

What is the difference between a crawl space and a shallow loft?

The crawl space is the space between the ground and the first floor of a house, which is common in northern Arizona. We don't often see them on the desert floor.

The space above the ceiling is a shallow loft that you can climb over.

Shallow lofts are ideal for removing items that are only used seasonally from closets and garages.

Before storing items in a loft space, the first and most important thing you need to do is to make sure the space is ready to receive and store them safely.

Regardless of your storage plan, you need to address roof leaks. A slight leak can cause serious structural damage, including mold, and destroy your belongings.

In terms of controlling moisture and preventing pests, a sealed crawl space is better than a ventilated crawl space. However, these were not common until 15 years ago and were rare.

Use a caulking gun to seal cracks in walls, doors and windows (especially corners), areas where pipes, wires, and telephone lines enter your home, vents of exhaust fans, and areas around electrical outlets.

Ventilation is essential to the health of your home. If the space is ventilated, make sure that your storage plan does not affect the existing ventilation system. Do not block any vents with storage boxes.

Can the loft space bear weight?

Before putting your feet or knees into the crawl space, you must determine whether it has its own floor. Many Arizona lofts do not.

It may look like it has a floor, but unless it is made of wooden floors and supported by floor joists, it is actually just the top of the ceiling of the room below, made of plasterboard or plaster.

It is not strong enough to support your weight or any storage items. If you try to stand on it, you may fall. Your box is fine too.

If there is no floor, you can walk carefully on the edge of the wooden ceiling rafters (the rafters that support the ceiling of the room under your feet). For better and safer entry, please lay down a few solid plywood boards to use as wooden boards to get you from one truss to the next.

Be careful, because cracks and damage to the wooden boards or frame supports may cause them to bend under your weight and send you into the room below.

Generally speaking, if the joist is only 2x4s, it can only store very light items, such as empty boxes and suitcases. If they are 2×6, relatively light things can be stored.

A 2×8 or larger joist may support more weight. But in all cases, the strength of the floor depends not only on the size, but also on the span of the joists, that is, the distance between the supports below.

These include the outer wall below the floor and some inner walls perpendicular to the joists, called load-bearing walls.

If you are not sure, please discuss the suitability of your loft space frame with a professional contractor.

If you are sure that the floor structure cannot accommodate what you want to store, you can add more or larger joists and cover them with plywood or OSB subfloor to create a continuous floor surface. Again, please consult a licensed contractor before starting this project.

Important information-Do not store anything directly on the gypsum board ceiling, and do not remove the insulation to make extra space.

Consider items that you don’t use frequently or only seasonally, such as holiday decorations, sports equipment, seldom-used appliances, clothing, or craft supplies. These are ideal items to place in crawl spaces or loft storage spaces.

Don't store temperature-sensitive items (such as candles) in a crawl space or shallow attic unless you want a mess.

Maximize space by installing shelves around the perimeter. This will provide you with extra organized space and protect your belongings from moisture damage.

Pack clothes in thick, sturdy plastic boxes to prevent pests and moisture from destroying them.

Mark each trash can to easily identify what they contain.

Never store anything in a cardboard box. They will deteriorate, rodents will love them, and your belongings will be destroyed.

Stacked boxes make it more difficult to inspect for pests or hidden damage to the structure or wiring. Take the time to create an inventory map. Schedule regular inspections of furniture, boxes, and infrastructure to prevent mold, mildew, and pests from harming stored items and your health.

Don't sandwich the flashlight between your teeth when you look around, but add a light source. Because there is no need for a lot of lighting in crawl spaces or shallow lofts, place battery-powered lights in hard-to-reach or hard-to-wire areas.

If you want to add low-voltage lighting, please call the Arizona Contractor Registry to obtain a licensed and insured electrical contractor.

If you have recently moved into your home, you may find that previous residents have forgotten to clear the crawl space or shallow attic and leave their belongings behind.

Call their real estate agent to arrange a pickup. On the contrary, if you are moving, don't forget to clean up the crawl space or shallow attic.

No matter how big your home is, it is helpful to have an area to store seasonal or rarely used items to reduce clutter.

For more DIY tips, please visit rosieonthehouse.com. As an expert in the residential construction and remodeling industry in Arizona for 35 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the Rosie on the House radio show, Saturday from 8 am to 11 am on KTAR-FM (92.3) in Phoenix, 9 am to It will be in Flagstaff at KAFF-AM (930) at 11 am, and KNST-AM (790) in Tucson from 10 am to 11 am.