Millions have 'cash in the attic' but 3 in 10 people have never been into their loft

Millions have ‘cash in the attic’ but three in 10 people have never been into their loft because it’s too cold, they’re scared of what they’ll find – and it might be full of spiders.

A poll of 2,000 homeowners with lofts found 26 per cent have no idea what’s up there, with 13 per cent who haven’t been up worried they’ll get stuck.

Another 16% are worried about falling through a ceiling, while 16% don’t have a ladder.

42% of loft insulation owners don’t know what kind of insulation they have, as they are not used to exploring their attic space.

The research, which was commissioned by EDF, also found 26 per cent don’t like exploring their loft space.

With worrying they’ll fall over (37 per cent) it’s dirty (31 per cent) and poor lighting (25 per cent) among the reasons they don’t like venturing up there.

Of those that have been to the top of the house, more than half (54 per cent) have had a rummage in the last month, but nearly one in 10 (seven per cent) haven’t been up in over 12 months.

But when they have done, 26 per cent have found an interesting and unexpected item, with intriguing attic finds including a WW1 German coin, a false leg, £500 in cash and a telescope.

Nearly one in ten went up to fetch decorations, lights, or the tree, while 14 percent went up to put something away.

Only six percent of respondents explored their attic to determine if their loft insulation needed improvement.

jQuery(document).ready(function($) {

// Only when javascript has been enabled, do we want these styles?
$(‘.gal_content’).css(‘display’, ‘block’);

// Create Advanced Galleriffic Gallery
var gallery = $(‘#thumbs_67758_1’).galleriffic({
delay: 0,
numThumbs: 0,
preloadAhead: 0,
enableTopPager: false,
enableBottomPager: false,
imageContainerSel: ‘#slideshow_67758_1’,
controlsContainerSel: ‘#controls_67758_1’,
captionContainerSel: ‘#caption_67758_1’,
loadingContainerSel: ‘#loading_67758_1’,
renderSSControls: true,
renderNavControls: false,
playLinkText: ”,
pauseLinkText: ”,
enableHistory: false,
autoStart: false,
enableKeyboardNavigation: true,
syncTransitions: false,
defaultTransitionDuration: 300,

onTransitionOut: function(slide, caption, isSync, callback) {
slide.fadeTo(this.getDefaultTransitionDuration(isSync), 0.0, callback);
caption.fadeTo(this.getDefaultTransitionDuration(isSync), 0.0);
},
onTransitionIn: function(slide, caption, isSync) {
var duration = this.getDefaultTransitionDuration(isSync);
slide.fadeTo(duration, 1.0);

// Position the caption at a bottom portion of the image and set the opacity
var slideImage = slide.find();
caption.fadeTo(duration, 1.0);

},
onPageTransitionOut: function(callback) {
//this.hide();
setTimeout (callback, 100); // Wait a moment
},
onPageTransitionIn function() {
var prevPageLink = this.find(‘a.prev’).css({‘opacity’: ‘0.3’ , ‘display’ : ‘inline-block’, ‘cursor’ : ‘default’});
var nextPageLink = this.find(‘a.next’).css({‘opacity’: ‘0.3’ , ‘display’ : ‘inline-block’, ‘cursor’ : ‘default’});

// Show next/prev page relevant links
if (this.displayedPage > 0)
prevPageLink.css({‘opacity’ : ‘1’ , ‘display’ : ‘inline-block’, ‘cursor’ : ‘pointer’});

var lastPage = the.getNumPages() – 1;
if (this.displayedPage < lastPage)
nextPageLink.css({'opacity' : '1' , 'display' : 'inline-block', 'cursor' : 'pointer'});

this.fadeTo('fast', 1.0);
}

});

/**************** Event handlers for custom next / prev page links **********************/

gallery.find('a.prev').click(function(e) {
gallery.previousPage();
e.preventDefault();
});

gallery.find('a.next').click(function(e) {
gallery.nextPage();
e.preventDefault();
});

});

Loft insulation could reduce energy bills, despite what some people believe.

The research, conducted via OnePoll, also found only a third (34 per cent) of homeowners are aware loft insulation should be inspected periodically to check it’s still in good condition.

Only one in 10 people plan to inspect their loft insulation to make sure it’s adequate.

And 19 per cent of people don’t know what to look for when checking the condition of their home insulation.

Nearly 25% (24%) do not have loft insulation. Only half of those who do believe it is cost-effective to reduce their energy bills believe it to be a cost-effective method.

Insight from the Energy Savings Trust shows it costs, on average, £480 to install mineral wool insulation into a loft at the recommended depth of 270mm for a semi-detached home, which could result in a saving of up to £355 a year on energy bills for these homeowners.

Philippe Commaret (managing director for customers at EDF) is working with The Eco Scheme as a way to offer customers Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) – for a fixed fee, said: “Good quality loft insulation can have a significant impact on energy bills, so it’s surprising to learn how few homeowners are aware of the type of insulation they have, or what to look out for to check its condition.

“The good news is it’s simple to check if your insulation is up to scratch the next time you go up or fetch down the Christmas decorations.

“Dampness, damage, thin coverings and signs of mould are key things to consider when looking for signs to act on.

“If you’re not sure what you’re looking for or you have problems getting up there it’s worth enlisting some help, as preventing heat escaping from your loft will definitely keep your house warmer and lower your energy bills.”

Top 20 reasons to avoid the Loft

1. I’m worried I’ll fall over while up there
2. It’s dirty
3. Poor lighting
4. I’m scared of spiders
5. It’s cold
6. Below the ceiling, you will fall right through it
7. I can’t stand up straight and it hurts my back
8. Rickety ladder
9. It’s creepy
10. It’s messy
11. I might bang my head
12. I don’t like confined spaces
13. I’m worried I might get stuck
14. I have trouble finding the right thing.
15. I can’t be bothered
16. I am a single person and need help getting up.
17. It reminds of the jobs I need.
18. I won’t waste my time going through old stuff
19. It’s frustrating
20. I don’t want to get splinters