Things You Should Never Store in an Attic, Garage, or Basement

 Paint Cans

When painting the home it is a good idea to keep a bit of the leftover paint for touch-ups that may be needed in the future. Taking this extra step is of no help if the paint is stored in a place that makes it unusable. Paint is negatively affected by high temperatures in the summer and ruined by freezing cold temperatures in the winter.

Furniture and Items Made of Wood

Excessive humidity will destroy wood. It makes it more susceptible to warping and rotting. Moreover, if storage conditions are too dry, this may cause wood to crack. The worst choices for storing wooden furniture, or other valuable items made of wood, are places where there are extreme temperature changes and high humidity. Wood may not do well in an attic, garage, or a basement.

Canned Food

Food storage requires the use of special, sealed containers and climate-controlled conditions to keep it from being ruined. Containers have to be very durable to avoid being attacked by pests, such as rodents. Rodents can chew through plastic and even cement. Using metal, food-grade containers is necessary to prevent this problem. Garages attract pests because they are looking for food, and they want to get out of the cold during winter.

Books and Paper Documents

Excessive humidity creates conditions that allow mold to grow. Books and other documents are easily destroyed by moisture. A book is somewhat like a sponge in that it absorbs moisture from the air. The damage may include curled pages, a warped book spine, and damage caused by the problem of mold. Excessive moisture can also lead to “foxing” which is when a book’s pages turn brown.

 Electronics

Humidity is the enemy of electronics. When the equipment is in service, there is some heat that occurs from its operation, which causes any internal moisture to evaporate. When an electronic item is put away in storage, the humidity can cause moisture to collect inside. This moisture may cause corrosion and/or rust to the internal components, which may cause damage.

Treasured Family Photos

Photos and family photo albums may be treasured family heirlooms. Excessive humidity is very damaging to photos. If they are kept in stacks, humidity can cause the photos to stick together. When trying to pull them apart, the photos may get damaged. Just like books and documents, photos can curl up and become damaged by mold. Photos need to be stored at a consistent temperature and that’s why it’s not recommended to store photos in a basement, attic, or garage.

Other Large Appliances

Clothes-washing machines and driers may not operate properly when exposed to freezing temperatures. Washing machines may have some residual water left inside that if it freezes may cause internal parts and pipes to break. Low temperatures may cause the condenser in the drier to malfunction. Humidity can affect the internal electronic parts and may cause rust and mold.