Hello / Small DIY project for storing food and water

[JDandCoke]

Hello
I am slowly getting to 40, have wife and 5 yrs old son.
I am not real prepper, rather person who can see danger in today's world and wants to be prepared for short situations.
I want to store about 7-10 days food and water (food mostly in cans plus maybe bit of preppers dried meals, and about 7-8 5l bottles of water.
I want it to be stored away from eyes, eyes of neighbours, eyes of friends who will be asking silly questions - why am I doing it, and comenting how funny it is and how silly it is, and in case of shtf will knock my doors asking for help.
I want the food/water to be out of their way/eyes even in case of shtf. Shtf will finish and you'll still have to live next to people who you didn't want to share with, and you will be the bad one. As much as it sounds pathetic and selfish - I won't prepare for more than my family, I can't save the world.
So I chose attic space - nobody ever looks there, as it looks like on the picture. I would like to board it but I have no idea how, and no idea if it will hold. It's pretty new building where developer cares more about his profit rather than quality. Is it a good idea to store food and water there? I mean there will be warm during summer and cold during winter.
Any suggestions, ideas, what else can I store there?
Thanks for all advices

[pseudonym]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

I am not real prepper, rather person who can see danger in today's world and wants to be prepared for short situations.

I hate to say it, but................... yes you are



one of us, one of us.....

[featherstick]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

I am not real prepper, rather person who can see danger in today's world and wants to be prepared for short situations.

I hate to say it, but................... yes you are



one of us, one of us.....

Agreed, you are a prepper. Welcome.

Loft space is not the best place for food storage, even in tins, due to the high temperature fluctuations which degrade food very quickly.

There are other spaces around - under beds, behind the kick-board under the kitchen units, even bespoke storage units under a stairs. Don't rush into anything (unless it TEOTWAWKI) -have a look around, have a read of the site, and then get on with it.

[Arzosah]

Yup, featherstick's point about the temperature in the loft is really important - the most you should put up there is toilet paper, old sheets to be cut up and used as dressings or bandages etc. And even they should be well packed and inaccessible to vermin.

Have a look around - you'll be amazed at how much info there is on the site

[featherstick]

In terms of boarding it out, you can buy chipboard tongue-and-groove attic boards in Wickes etc.. They are not expensive and I think one pack is just over or just under a square metre. Nail or screw to the rafters. If nailing, drill a pilot hole first to minimise the amount of banging you have to do, preventing damage to the ceiling below. I use a small hand-drill fitted with a wire nail for this. If you have cables running underneath the boards, mark the cable's position with a marker so the electrician knows where it is later. If you have halogen lights fitted into the ceiling below, remove the insulation from around them and don't board over them as the excess heat won't dissipate. But you should be swapping halogens for low-energy bulbs anyway.

[womble]

If you have cables running underneath the boards, mark the cable's position with a marker so the electrician knows where it is later.

And if those cables run across joists that you're covering, make sure you notch out a space for the cable before you cover up, otherwise the cable will be squeezed between the board and the joist and will be at risk. The risk ranges from the cable being broken and you losing a chunk of your lighting (or leading to a split ring main, which carries its own dangers) to it being squeezed thin, increasing resistance and raising the temperature, with the following risk of fire. Make the notch as shallow and narrow as you can [Edit: while still leaving room for the cable and the clip; the idea is to remove only as much wood as is necessary)], and use the right size of cable clip to hold it in the notch.

[featherstick]

If you have cables running underneath the boards, mark the cable's position with a marker so the electrician knows where it is later.

And if those cables run across joists that you're covering, make sure you notch out a space for the cable before you cover up, otherwise the cable will be squeezed between the board and the joist and will be at risk. The risk ranges from the cable being broken and you losing a chunk of your lighting (or leading to a split ring main, which carries its own dangers) to it being squeezed thin, increasing resistance and raising the temperature, with the following risk of fire. Make the notch as shallow and narrow as you can, and use the right size of cable clip to hold it in the notch.

Excellent point, thanks.

[preparedsurrey]

Welcome to the site, behind the kick boards under your kitchen units is usually a good storage space.

[JDandCoke]

Hi guys. I never thought about kick boards but it seems to ge great idea for food storing. Thanks. I just need to find space for 5l water bottles (or store 1.5l bottles next to fiod behind kick boards).
For water - whats best for water filtering and puryfing? I am thinking of something that can be stored for few years.

[unsure]

hello , don`t forget all the wasted space in your sofa and arm chairs .