How Summer Heat Can Damage Items in Storage

You might not think that Toronto's summer heat can damage your belongings in storage. But if your storage unit isn't climate controlled, it can quickly turn into a sweltering oven in the sun. Here are just a few of the items that can be damaged by extended heat and humidity.

Books and Paper

If you've ever pulled old books out of the attic or the basement, you may have seen spots, streaks, or fine powder on the covers and pages. That's because hot, humid conditions can cause mold and mildew to grow on paper. But it doesn't stop with books. These conditions can affect your photos, school diplomas, important paperwork, and even your kids' childhood drawings.

Art and Collectibles

Collectibles like stamps, comic books, and baseball cards should never be kept in non-climate controlled storage areas. Stamps can become damp and sticky and will curl up at the edges. Comic books and baseball cards, which many people consider being an investment, could also suffer damage from the hot, moist conditions. And if you have artwork made of metal, glass, or porcelain, you'll be fine... but in uncontrolled heat and humidity, paintings and prints can become streaked and mildewed, and wood sculptures may crack.

Vinyl and Other Media

If you hope to listen to your golden oldies again one day, then a hot storage unit or attic is the worst place to keep them. Vinyl records will warp and become permanently damaged in prolonged heat. And similar damage can happen to VHS tapes, audio cassettes, and other media. If some of these are irreplaceable family videos, their loss would be devastating.

Furniture

If you're saving your grandmother's Chippendale chair in a hot attic or a damp crawl space, it will suffer the same damage that any furniture will encounter: wood expands in hot, humid conditions and contracts in cold, dry conditions. Over time, you'll find that some wood furniture will crack and warp in when temperatures and humidity are not controlled.

As you consider storing your personal possessions, remember that a climate-controlled storage unit is your best bet to protect the things you value. At Bluebird Self Storage, we have modern, secure, climate-controlled units that will put your mind at ease.