Attic Storage & Lifts

Since Doug put it on the splash page yesterday & today and this thread is titled Safety, I have to chime in. I'm not a structural engineer but I am an architect.

Ceiling joists are designed for a uniform dead load of about 2#/SF and no live load. Roofs (in snow areas) are designed for a uniform loading of 30#/SF and certainly not for a point loading (winch) of 125#.

By experience, we all throw things up 'in the rafters' without consequence, but the practice of hauling heavy objects up there with a winch takes it to another level. I don't recommend the practice.

If you need to do so, please find a local structural engineer and do it per code.

I should probably have clarified this a little more. If you're under the impression I'm using this to hoist engine blocks, please let me assure you I'm not. Christmas trees and drop fertilizer spreaders are the mission here - things in the 10 pound range that are too cumbersome to easily get up and down the ladder with.

If Northern Tool had a 15 pound winch on the shelf I would have bought that instead.

We get an inch or so of ice a couple times each year in these parts that covers the entire roof - that's got to be more stressful on my house than lifting a small bucket with some rattle cans of paint in it. If not I probably shouldn't be in the house to begin with .

I appreciate your concern.

br,
dr

Doug,

Didn't mean to over-react, just had some concern that a Tim Allen type might try to hoist that 50hp washing machine up there.

InsideOut said:

Doug,

Didn't mean to over-react, just had some concern that a Tim Allen type might try to hoist that 50hp washing machine up there.

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The first words out of Tate's mouth....."Can I ride it?" Darwinism Award potential here large.

DeltaRomeo said:

The first words out of Tate's mouth....."Can I ride it?" Darwinism Award potential here large.

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Store the thought. The ride comes later at the first beer party while you are off at Oshkosh

Mike
(Glad I survived my kids surviving high school)

Dr. Pepper spit all over monitor.....

Thanks