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Is climate control necessary?

The average person goes to their garage when they’re hoping to store their boxes of seasonal clothes, old electronics and family memorabilia. But there’s a big problem with this storage space: it has no climate control whatsoever.

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What’s wrong with using the garage?

The garage is not the perfect storage space for everything. While it’s fine for your gardening tools, car parts and bicycles, it’s not so fine for other household items. Most garages aren’t well-insulated or connected to HVAC units throughout the year. So, the contents are at the mercy of the weather. Harsh temperatures, humidity and condensation can affect the quality of items and can even cause irreparable damage.

The air quality in a garage can also be a problem. You don’t want to subject certain items to dust, dirt, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) — think of car exhaust blowing into your valuables.

What’s a Better Option?

The garage isn’t a safe storage option for most household items. If you don’t have a closet or well-insulated room to stash your boxes, you should look for climate controlled storage in Toronto and get a unit in your preferred size. Lots of storage facilities promise climate control when they only have heated flooring. Go to a facility that offers consistent air conditioning/heating. It’s the best way to guarantee that your items are protected all year long.

A self-storage unit is also a good alternative to your garage because it’s clean and well-secured, so you don’t have to worry so much about damaging factors like dust, pests and VOCs.

What items should you keep away from the garage?

Books:

Dampness and temperature fluctuations can destroy your books. The pages could crinkle, and the spines could warp. They can get covered in mould and mildew. Paper is also one of the biggest things that attracts pests into your garage — this means that those boxes of hardcovers and paperbacks could be a hotspot for cockroaches and silverfish. See how to store books properly so that you can keep your favourite reads in great shape.

Photographs:

Old photographs can’t handle the temperature changes or moisture in a garage. They could wrinkle and stick together. The images could warp or fade. They could also be susceptible to mould and mildew. The worst part is that photographs are very difficult to salvage after they’ve been damaged. Take a look at how to properly store photographs so that you never have to throw boxes of cherished memories into the garbage.

Clothes:

You should never store your clothes in the garage. They’re sensitive to temperature fluctuations and moisture, especially when they contain materials like leather and fur. They can become breeding grounds for mould and mildew.

Take a look at how to store your clothes according to a professional closet organizer to make sure that your wardrobe stays in top condition.

Electronics:

Condensation and extreme temperatures can do some serious damage to your electronic devices and make them unusable. So, if you’re planning on plugging these in again — or selling them to make a profit — you should store them in a safer place.

Stop thinking of your garage as an extra storage room. You could end up ruining the items that you’re trying to save.

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