Your garage might be your go-to spot for stashing everything from holiday decorations to that old treadmill, but not everything is garage-friendly. What should you keep there and what should you avoid storing? Here’s a quick guide so you can ensure your belongings and your home stay safe.
Garage-Friendly
Unlike your house, your garage is not climate controlled. Temperatures fluctuate from very hot to very cold, depending on the weather outside. It can also get damp in your garage if humidity is high. Plus, there are critters – from mice to bugs – who can make their home there, even in the most well-kept spaces. That’s why it’s important to store items in your garage that can withstand temperature swings, humidity, and the occasional visits from pests.
Here are some items that work well for garage storage:
- Lawn care equipment: Go ahead and store your lawnmower, your leaf blower, your edger and spreader. Landscaping tools benefit from inside storage, away from the weather.
- Gardening supplies: Bags of soil and fertilizer, rakes, shovels, flowerpots, buckets, and hoses are well suited for the garage.
- Patio furniture and lawn chairs: Store beach chairs and outdoor furnishings during the off-season. It protects them from winter weather damage.
- Bicycles and scooters: Garage storage will help prolong the life of bikes and scooters which can rust. Garages also protect from potential theft of these items. Avoid storing anything with lithium batteries. Not only will the extreme temperatures reduce their lifespan, but these batteries can also pose a fire risk.
- Sports equipment: Store your outdoor and indoor sporting equipment, from skis to kayaks to basketballs. Consider wall-mounted racks to keep them off the ground and away from pests.
- Camping supplies: Your tent, head lamps, and camping chairs also are well suited to garage storage. Clean them before you store them; you don’t want to bring the woods into your garage.
- Pool equipment: Garages are great for swimming pool equipment like floats, skimmers and pool vacuums. However, pool chemicals need a cool, dry, ventilated place so move those elsewhere.
- Holiday decorations: These work for the garage if they are in airtight containers on shelves or pallets, so they’re not affected by moisture damage. But it’s better to store your holiday extension cords inside your home.
- Vehicles: Your garage is made for your car, truck, motorcycle, or ATV to keep it protected. That of course is the ideal use for this space.
Pro Tip: When choosing storage containers for the garage, select airtight plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes. They are less likely to be chewed through or affected if they get wet. For added protection, add moisture absorbers (known as desiccants) in the bin.
Not for the Garage
The general rule is that if you couldn’t bear to see something lost or destroyed, it should not be in the garage. Also, you don’t want to store anything that would be affected by a garage’s fluctuating temperatures and humidity, that potentially could cause a fire.
Here are some items that should be moved out of the garage to a safer storage spot:
- Fuel and chemicals: Avoid storing gasoline, gas cans, propane tanks, and cleaning chemicals in the garage. Not only could these items emit toxic fumes if not properly stored, but they also present a fire risk, and could be set off with a spark, such as from your car’s ignition.
- Paint: Paint needs a cool, dry place. It doesn’t do well in extreme heat and cold or humidity. Improper storage can change a paint’s formula.
- Furniture: Wood is a porous material that expands and contracts with humidity. It can swell and shrink to the point of cracking. Pests and rodents also can nest in upholstery. If the garage is your only option for furniture storage, make sure your items are in a clean, dry spot that is elevated. Also make sure that they are wrapped and covered.
- Sleeping bags and bedding: Humidity can make fabrics moldy. Rodents may nest in it or chew it. It’s tempting to put your sleeping bags with other camping supplies in the garage, but instead, move them inside your home.
- Clothing: Clothing can soak up fumes and dust in a garage and be at the risk of pests. Clothes also attract moths. In addition, fur and leather don’t hold up when in damp conditions. It’s best to store your clothes inside your home.
- Stuffed animals: These favorite toys can attract dust mites, insects, and mice. If you do store them in a garage, make sure they are in an airtight container.
- Rugs and carpets: These make great homes for mice and insects. The fibers also absorb moisture and odor which can stay with them if left for a long enough time.
- Food: Not only will food attract pests, but it will also spoil more quickly in temperature extremes. Even canned food is susceptible. In addition, humidity can cause cans and metal lids to rust. That can potentially trigger a chemical reaction with the food inside.
- Electronics: Moisture can damage hardware and cause electronics to short out. Damaged electronics can pose a risk of electrocution.
- Fragile and Valuable: Heat, cold and moisture can ruin photos, artwork and cause them to curl or fade. Store them in climate-controlled areas in acid-free boxes.
- Vinyl records: Grooves can hold moisture and get mildew damage. Record sleeves made of paper can rot, become moldy or be eaten by pests. Vinyl records can also warp or melt in the heat. CDs and DVDs can warp, too, so it’s best to put your music and movie collection elsewhere.
- Wine: Changing temperatures and humidity can alter the taste and quality of wine.
- Books: Silverfish love to eat the glue that binds books together. They also like paper. They are known to do well in dark, damp environments. The humid environment that’s ideal for pests will also cause pages of your book to curl.
- Firewood: Bringing firewood into the garage invites the pests that like to live in piles of wood outside. The general rule is to keep wood at least 20 feet away from your home, including your garage.
You want your belongings to stay safe. That’s why you protect them with personal property coverage. For more information on personal property coverage, common insurance purchasing mistakes, or setting up the right coverage for your home, contact a California Casualty representative.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
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