Nov 10, 2021 / by Zach Pyers
The convenience of throwing everything in your garage is undeniable. You know how it goes – out of sight, out of mind. You can store anything in the garage and forget about it until a few months or years later. Sadly, the garage might not be the safest place for some of your belongings. Despite being the easiest place for storage, many of your possessions can be susceptible to damage when stored there. Some items could even pose risks for the whole family, including the house. Here are a few items that you should avoid storing in a garage.
Firewood
Firewood is essential for the harsh winter season and keeping a stash of them in the garage for easy access can be tempting. However, you should avoid doing so as much as possible. Little pests can come with the firewood and invade your garage and house. The best place you can keep the firewood is on an elevated rack slightly further away from the house. You should also make use of some tarp to keep the firewood dry, or else you would not be able to burn it in the fireplace.
Propane
Propane should never be stored in the garage. Always store them outdoors regardless of their use. This is because propane tanks are not meant to be kept in closed storage spaces. Should the valve leak, the propane will likely seep into the garage and possibly the rest of the house. This will cause suffocation by asphyxiation and can also be a dangerous fire hazard. A propane-filled garage will burst into flames the moment a small spark or pilot light comes into contact with the gas.
Spare Refrigerators
While it might seem like a great idea to keep a spare refrigerator in the garage, it may actually be costing you more money than you expected. Refrigerators run most efficiently within the temperature of 65 and 78 degrees. During the summer months, temperatures could reach a scorching 100 degrees in a non-climate-controlled garage. This will cause the refrigerator to work more just to keep cool and ruin your energy conservation dreams in the process. This will also increase the chances of refrigerators breaking down, which is not good for your wallet. Keeping a refrigerator in the garage in the winter will not work too, as the insulated doors do not do much to keep perishables from freezing.
Electronics
If you have an issue with hoarding and cannot seem to let go of your cherished goods, you are likely to have some electronics stashed away in the garage. This is not the best place to keep such items due to the high humidity levels in a garage. The humidity can cause electronics to damage, especially their internal circuit boards. Even if humidity is not the culprit, they are perfect nests for tiny insects, which can destroy the electronics components. If you do not use the gadgets often, why not consider giving them to your neighbors, donating them to charity, or just throwing them away.