For many people who live in homes with attics, it can be tempting to make use of the extra storage space and create more room for the objects they use every day. This strategy works for most items when stored safely, but there are some things that storage experts say people should keep out of their attics because of weather-related damage risks.
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Hot and humid temperatures can create moisture in attic storage spaces, posing risks to paper products and furniture. In some cases, fans used in an attic space can keep the air flowing and help prevent unwanted moisture from accumulating, according to the website Public Storage. Roof leaks also pose a risk, as they can develop undetected if an attic space is not checked regularly.
Several storage companies offered advice on what items people should avoid keeping in their attics. Below are six items on which many experts agree.
Paint
The quality of leftover paint can be negatively affected by extreme hot or cold temperatures, according to Storage Rentals of America (SROA) and Smartbox Portable Storage & Moving. Extra paint should be kept in a dry and cool environment and should be moved off the floor to prevent the containers from rusting. A piece of furniture’s paint or varnish can also be negatively affected by hot temperatures and should be kept out of the attic for this reason, according to Self Storage Plus.
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Wooden Furniture
Humid conditions can degrade pieces of wooden furniture, while extremely dry conditions can splinter the wood, according to SROA. This makes wooden furniture risky to store in a hot or humid attic. SROA also advises people against keeping extra wooden furniture in a basement, as conditions belowground can degrade the quality of the wood.
Wine
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An attic isn’t the ideal space for extra bottles or cases of wine either, according to experts at Public Storage. Wine experts generally recommend keeping the bottles away from windows or other places where the wine will be in direct sunlight or exposed to heat. High temperatures can ruin wine and cause damage to the corks. In addition to wine, storage experts also recommend keeping perishable food away from the attic.
Paper Materials
Paper materials should be kept out of the attic because humidity and flooding can damage or destroy these items, according to experts at Public Storage, SROA and Smartbox. This recommendation includes files, documents, photos, books and magazines.
Musical Instruments
A person’s piano has no place in an attic, nor does any other prized musical instrument. “While it may be tempting to stash your old drum set or guitar in the attic, the fluctuation in temperature will cause the wood to expand and contract which can seriously damage it over time,” according to Smartbox. It adds that vinyl should also be kept out of attic spaces.
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Electronics
Heat and humidity can also ruin electronics, according to Smartbox, SROA and Public Storage. When humidity is introduced to electronic equipment or batteries kept in storage, the resulting moisture can lead to corrosion or rust, which can cause the equipment or batteries to stop operating normally.
In addition to the above items at risk of getting damaged if stored in hot or humid environments, storage experts advise against keeping large household appliances in attics because these items will need to use more power to operate in warmer conditions.
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Other items of concern include clothing, which can be kept safe in an attic space if protected with a vacuum seal. Even so, some storage experts recommend keeping treasured clothing out of the attic as a precaution.
