Attic

An attic (sometimes referred to as a loft) is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also called a sky parlor or a . Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the top floor of a building and the slanted roof, they are known for being awkwardly shaped spaces with exposed rafters and difficult-to-reach corners.

While some attics are converted into bedrooms, home offices, or attic apartments complete with windows and staircases, most remain difficult to access (and are usually entered using a loft hatch and ladder). Attics are generally used for storage, though they can also help control temperatures in a house by providing a large mass of slowly moving air. The hot air rising from the lower floors of a building is often retained in attics, further compounding their reputation as inhospitable environments. However, in recent years attics have been insulated to help decrease heating costs, since, on average, uninsulated attics account for 15 percent of the total energy loss in average houses.

A loft is also the uppermost space in a building but is distinguished from an attic in that an attic typically constitutes an entire floor of the building, while a loft covers only a few rooms, leaving one or more sides open to the lower floor.

The word "attic" is derived from the Attica region of Greece and comes from Attic style architecture. The term referred to "a low decorative facade above the main story of a building" and, as used in the phrase "attic order", had originally indicated a small decorative column above a building's main facade.

Modern building codes require unoccupied attics to be ventilated to reduce the accumulation of heat and moisture that contribute to mold growth and decay of wood rafters and ceiling joists.

One common code requirement is that the total area of attic vents be equal to or greater than 1/150 of the floor area of the attic, with 50 percent or more of the vent area located in the upper portion of the attic. Various types of turbine ventilators and exhaust fans can also be used to assist with attic ventilation and decrease the required area of passive ventilators.

In American popular culture, attics are often associated with an accumulation of old items, especially consumer goods, heirlooms, junk, and sometimes hoarding. They are also a recurring theme in folklore, horror fiction, portrayals of clandestine (especially teenage) relationships, and as a comedic trope of several varieties.

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