Winter Storage Tips

Winter is quickly approaching, are you prepared? Here are 5 ways to prepare your belongings for winter storage. Don’t let winter’s weather sneak up on you before you’re done getting everything ready!

Winter Storage

  1. Vehicles in long-term winter storage are almost guaranteed to have a dead battery by the time spring comes along. Make sure chemicals under the hood haven’t burst in their compartments or in the trunk if there are any extra liquids stored in there. Tires tend to deflate when exposed to cold air for long periods of time. Be ready to inflate them before taking the car out of storage. Measure the PSI with a tire gauge in each tire before filling as the air in the tire will condense in the cold, giving the appearance of a soft tire. Caution! Over-filling your tire can cause a blowout when driving due to the air in your tire expanding from the rising temperatures resulting in the tire rupturing.
  2. Consider renting a temperature controlled storage unit for peace of mind during the winter months if available. A stable temperature helps protect all of your belongings for many years to come!
  3. Are you wondering where on earth you are going to store that new surf board during the off-season? Surfboards and paddle boards are pretty difficult to store. It’s hard to find the space for them especially if you have multiple boards for different uses. It is not a bad idea to store them in a location that’s closer to your favorite beach. It is good to rinse your surfboard thoroughly with tap water to remove anything from its surface, particularly salt water, which can dry on and damage your surfboard. Dry the board with a towel to remove all moisture when you go to store it. Strip any wax from your surfboard. If you have a board bag, store your board in a bag, which offers a layer of protection from any scuffs and scratches your board might get while in storage.
  4. Who is mowing the grass in the winter? No one. Keep your lawn equipment safely stored away in the winter by storing it in a storage unit. Make sure to empty the gas tank in all your small engine equipment due to the ethanol found in gas today. The ethanol will eat the carburetor costing you some extra money to get it started when you’re finally ready to use it again. Most gasoline stabilizers will not preserve your gasoline over the entire winter. It is best if you can finish off the gas that you have before winter comes. The primer bulbs that are found on some small engines usually don’t fair too well in the cold of winter and end up cracking, be prepared to replace them when spring comes again. They are fairly cheap and easy to replace yourself. Here is a Youtube video on how to replace a primer bulb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S16iWuedqx8
  5. Do you have fragile memorabilia such as baseball cards or old photos? Are you wondering how to safely store them in the cold and keep them protected? Plastic sleeves for cards of all types, even photos, are a great way to protect them in the cold. They can prevent scratches, scuffs, tears, and folds to happen which will preserve the life of them! However plastic sleeves are not recommended in an excessively hot environment because those sleeves can melt and stick to the cards and photos causing damage to occur when being removed. Don’t forget to remove them before the summer.

Follow these tips for winter storage to protect your belongings and keep them in great shape!

 


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Katie Mest

About the Author: Katie Mest is an SEO Specialist at Storage Asset Management in York, PA. She specializes in writing about the self storage industry, including storage tips and helpful resources. Outside of work, Katie enjoys camping, hiking, and exploring the outdoors with her newly adopted Greyhound rescue, Titan.