Experts suggest finding elsewhere to put these kinds of things.
Keep your house clean Well organized means having a designated place for each article you have - or at least, most of them. But when we find it difficult to find the ideal place for something, we tend to turn to our garage . From seasonal decorations to garden supplies, this is the space that most of us use to store all the random things that we do not need or have room in the house. But everything is not suitable for your garage - in fact, experts warn that what may seem a practical storage solution could actually be harmful. Read the rest to discover the 13 worst things to store in your garage.
Why should you avoid storing some things in your garage?
"There are many household items that the owners store without knowing it in their garages without understanding that the environment of their garage can be harmful," explains Aaron Cash , managing partner and president of Living garage franchise systems .
Although it can be tempting to put anything in your garage that you want to keep but that you have no space for elsewhere, it is better to use it only as a storage point for the items " Designed for more difficult conditions and will not be affected by the garage environment, "according to Alex Johnson ,, car expert and CEO of Man and Van Star.
"Always assess the sensitivity of the elements to temperature, humidity and potential physical damage before storing them in a garage", " Christopher Ramsey , founder of Virtual moving technologies , advise.
Important books and documents should never be stored in the garage.
"Humidity and temperature fluctuations can permanently damage paper," explains Raquel Kehler ,, interior decorator in Roomcrush.
Papers can become humid, leading to mold and disintegration. AARON TRAUB , owner and principal organizer at My professional dallas organizer , add that essential documents can even become illegible.
Chantelle Hartman Malarkey ,, interior decorator And the accommodation of the aesthetic expert, also notes that the photos can fade in the garage - and like paper, they could become moldy or discolored.
If you do not have appropriate interior shelves for such items, Kehler suggests storing your books in boxes in a stable environment, such as a storage room or a closet inside your home.
2
Furniture
Unless this is a special case where your garage is controlled by the climate, it is best to avoid leaving furniture there. Wooden furniture, in particular, must always stay inside.
"Temperature and humidity fluctuations can be particularly harmful to wood, causing swelling, deformation and cracks," warns Willow Wright , owner of Ancient and vintage store Urban players. "In addition, these problems can lead to permanent damage, which has a negative impact on the appearance and structural integrity of the furniture."
3
Clothing and bedding
Likewise, the fabric for most clothes and bedding can be "damaged by humidity and temperature changes", precludes in cash.
Not only that, but these items can also attract mold and mold when stored in the garage, according to Ashley the bottom , founder of home organization company Space and mind.
"We recommend that you store clothes in a cedar closet or a moisture controlled space," said background.
4
Propane tanks
Storage of petrol or propane tanks in your garage can cause spontaneous combustions, Sebastian Jania , Owner of Ontario properties buyers , warns. All the sparks - whether they come from your car, a lighter or something else - can cause significant fire damage.
Locating these materials elsewhere is ideal, confirms cash. A hangar with adequate ventilation is the right choice for all additional tanks.
A certain painting is also flammable. So, for the same reasons as propane tanks, it is dangerous to keep it in the garage.
"Taking old dangerous materials such as painting for your recycling or local elimination deposit will eliminate potential forecasts and fire risks from your garage," advises Cash.
Temperatures in garages fluctuate a lot, which can change paint formulas and also affect its quality, notes Kelly. You should keep it in a room that has a coherent temperature and no direct sun.
6
Carpet or carpet
When people renovate their house, they often wrap additional carpets or carpets and move them to the garage for the moment. But even if they could be away, storing them there is a bad idea.
Floss Kelly , co-founder of renovation Ticloud, says carpets can easily become comfortable houses for insects and mice, especially when rolled up. In addition to the parasites, carpet fibers absorb moisture and smell, so it is likely that they will be ruined when you bring them back inside. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Instead, Kelly advises them to put them in a cool and well ventilated space like a closet or using a carpet storage bag.
7
Food or compost
Speaking of creatures, nothing brings them like food. While food stored safely in an outdoor freezer may be good, the compost or the leftover food should not be left in the open air in your garage.
"Compost or food will attract various rodents, especially since it continues to rot and decompose," warns Jania. "It would be recommended to have an external compost tray which can be stored safely in a garden rather than a garage to keep the rodents where they belong."
Food safety also comes into play, because some items will spoil in extreme heat or cold.
"You don't want to risk getting sick on bad food," said Malarkey.
Storage of old tires in your garage can also create a problem with rodents and insects, according to Kelly Salas ,, Real estate services expert and founder of Sierra Vista Maintenance.
"Over time, they can deteriorate, and the air stagnating inside a tire can become a reproductive terrain for parasites," explains Salas. "It is preferable to store them in a dedicated tire rack, preferably in a dry and fresh location where temperature fluctuations are minimal."
9
Electronic appliances
It is a bad idea to keep all electronic that you do not currently use in your garage, especially if you plan to use them again.
"Humidity and external temperatures can cause overheating of these devices, corrode and deteriorate," said Dan Mock , vice-president of operations for electricity company Mr. Sparky. "Unpredictable weather can also have an impact on electronics' features, such as televisions, game consoles and computers, making them dyson when you remove them."
Actually, Brian Mollo , CEO of Trusted house buyers , tell Better life He had once a tenant leave an iPad and a laptop in the garage of their rental house, and both "became unusable in a few months due to humidity in the garage."
"The lack of air conditioning in a garage makes a lot of things in them a bad idea, but electronic devices are not always things you think when it comes to humidity damage," he noted .
10
DVD
Many owners turn to the garage when they need a place to keep old DVDs, hard drives or VHS bands for which they no longer have room inside their house.
"It's a big mistake," warns Jerry Dilk , principal consultant of information governance at Data storage centers In Phoenix, Arizona. "Physical media should never be stored in your garage."
Indeed
"You wouldn't want these old videos you have taken from your children are missing forever because you stuck them in your hot garage," he said.
11
Billiards
People often ask Shawn Cleve , Managing Director at Bailier sales at home , if they can store or keep a billiard table in their garage. But "unless the billiard table is designed for outdoor use or the garage is controlled by the climate, it's a bad idea," he replied.
"Most pool tables are made of materials sensitive to climate such as wood and felt. While air in the room heats, cools or changes humidity, these materials will change size, damage the table," explains Cleve further.
Most of us would not think twice before leaving additional bulbs in our garage until we need it. But "heat can really shorten the life of the bulbs", depending on the bottom.
"We recommend that you store them in a cool place, such as a basement or a utility closet," she said.
13
Electroportative tools
The only thing you can guarantee that you will find stored in any garage is the tools. But did you know that some experts actually recommend against Keep the battery electric tools there?
"Modern electric tool batteries are generally a stock of lithium ions which is considerably affected by temperature", " Al Ruggie , marketing director at ASAP Restoration LLC explain. "When the battery becomes too hot, it does not work properly, or sometimes at all."
Even if you do not live in a warmer climatic zone, it is always something that you will want to be aware.
"Likewise with environments that are cold in winter, this considerably affects the life of the battery. Cold, and in particular freezing temperatures considerably reduce the lifespan and the longevity of a battery," adds Ruggie .
This story has been updated to include additional inputs, verification of facts and copying edition.