If you’re like most homeowners, you have special decorations that you put on display during the holidays, and then store away for the remainder of the year. You likely take great care packing up these festive treasures, but choosing a spot for decoration storage is just as important. Here are some tips to help you pick a safe storage location:
Learn Why Stored Decorations Can Be Dangerous
Most homeowners have a furnace/utility room with extra space that seems like a convenient spot to store seasonal items like holiday decorations. The truth is, your decorations can contain various materials that may contribute fuel, or melt and put out hazardous fumes, in the event of a fire. This can include:
- Cardboard boxes or egg cartons for ornament storage.
- Fabric tree skirts, stockings and Santa sacks.
- Needles on garlands, wreaths or an artificial tree.
- Paraffin holiday candles.
- Plastic storage containers/totes.
Don’t Use Your Furnace Room for Storage
You may be tempted to use extra space near your home’s furnace for storing decorations and other items. However, having flammable or combustible materials near your furnace, or any other fuel-burning device like the water heater, is a safety hazard. Other items that may ignite or explode when stored near combustion equipment are household cleaning and laundry products, paper goods, wood, cat litter/litter boxes, textiles and clothing, paint/paint thinner, gasoline containers, and aerosol cans.
Choose a Safe Spot for Decoration Storage
Once you’ve carefully packed up your holiday decorations so they don’t get crushed or broken, here are some suggestions on where to safely store them until next season:
- The attic. Just make sure you have secure walkways and ample lighting so you can easily stow and retrieve your stored items.
- The garage. A shelving unit located in an unused corner of the garage makes a convenient, safe place to store decorations.
- A spare closet. A spare bedroom closet is another safe option that also provides easy access to all your holiday decorations.
For more tips on decoration storage that won’t compromise safety in your Lorain home, contact us today at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area