There’s no denying Florida is a beautiful state with miles of gorgeous coastline and sunshine most of the year. One major drawback is the state’s high humidity, especially from June through September. During these months (and others), the humidity can be oppressive. Besides causing you to sweat like mad, the high humidity in Florida makes storing furniture challenging. For example, high humidity can cause damaging mold and mildew, make wooden furniture swell and warp, and cause metal parts to rust and corrode. High humidity also causes fabric degradation and leather damage, allowing pests to infest furniture.
If you need to store furniture in Florida and are wary about the humidity problem, the information below will be beneficial. It’s a list of the top 10 tips for storing furniture in Florida humidity, brought to you by the store storage experts at Hide-Away Storage!
1. Rent an Air-Conditioned Self Storage Unit
The best way to store furniture in Florida is to rent an air-conditioned self storage unit. This is especially true if you have high-quality, high-dollar-value furniture that you want to protect as well as possible. Air-conditioned storage units are specialized units that aim to keep the temperature and humidity stable throughout the year. They cost more than regular storage units but are worth the extra money if you have high-quality furniture you want to make sure stays in pristine condition.
2. Use Breathable Furniture Wraps and Covers
Many movers will wrap furniture in plastic when it’s being moved to prevent damage and stains. However, experts recommend avoiding plastic when you store furniture because it doesn’t “breathe”. That’s a problem because humidity trapped inside won’t be able to dissipate. This can allow mold and mildew to grow uncontrollably and ruin or destroy your fine furniture. Instead, opt for breathable furniture wraps and covers that do breathe to prevent mold and mildew from growing.
3. Keep Furniture Elevated Off the Floor
In Florida, furniture can absorb moisture from the floor, especially concrete floors. For this reason, if you store furniture in your garage, you should elevate it off the ground on wooden pallets. This allows air circulation under and around your furniture and reduces the risk of humidity causing a problem.
4. Ensure there’s Proper Ventilation
Wherever you decide to store your furniture, it must have proper ventilation. Without airflow, moisture can’t evaporate and can cause rust, corrosion, deterioration, and other problems for your furniture. Several tips we’ve provided today will help you ensure proper ventilation for your stored furniture, including elevating it off the floor, using ventilated covers, etc.
5. Store Your Furniture with Cedar Blocks
You might already know that storing clothing and shoes with cedar blocks or chips is a great idea. The same goes for storing furniture. The reason is that cedar absorbs excess moisture and reduces the risk it poses to your furniture. Another benefit is that cedar is a natural pest repellent and smells great. Cedar is also an excellent alternative to chemical moisture absorbers.
6. Air Out Your Storage Space on Clear, Less Humid Days
They don’t come very often during the humid season, but when they do, you should air out your storage space on clear, low humidity days. This will allow humidity to evaporate and prevent it from damaging your belongings.
7. Use Rust-Proofing Sprays and Furniture Sealants
If you have wooden furniture you want to store, sealing it with a furniture sealer beforehand is an excellent idea. This will create a barrier against moisture and prevent it from seeping into the wood. If you have metal furniture or furniture with metal parts, you can use rust-proofing sprays and paints to prevent corrosion.
8. Place Silica Gel Packs Inside Furniture
Silica gel packs like the kind you find in many new products are an excellent moisture-absorbing hack when storing furniture. Consider purchasing larger silica gel packs instead of the tiny ones in shoeboxes and pill bottles. Once you have them, place them liberally inside your furniture, including drawers.
9. Use Charcoal Briquettes to Absorb Moisture
Like cedar blocks and silica gel packs, charcoal briquettes absorb moisture. Place several charcoal briquettes in a breathable bag. You can then place several in and around your furniture since charcoal briquettes don’t cause any residual problems or absorb odors.
10. Purchase and Use a Dehumidifier
A dehumidifier is one of the best devices to prevent damage when storing furniture in Florida. Dehumidifiers are excellent at sucking moisture out of the air so that it can’t damage your furniture. However, One thing to remember is that using a dehumidifier can get quite expensive, electricity-wise. That said, a dehumidifier can be an excellent investment.
Bonus Tip- Inspect Your Stored Furniture Regularly
Most folks tend to store their furniture and then forget it until they need to take it back out of storage. The problem with doing that is moisture and pests can start to cause problems, and if you don’t check, you won’t be able to stop those problems from worsening if they start. That’s why inspecting your stored furniture regularly is an excellent idea.
Store Your Furniture in Florida with Hide-Away Self Storage
When you need to store furniture in Florida, trust Hide-Away Storage to get the job done. With locations around the Sunshine State, a Hide-Away Storage facility is likely right around the corner from your home. When you’re ready, you can reserve a storage unit in Florida and store your furniture and other items safely and securely. As mentioned earlier, Hide-Away also offers air-conditioned self storage units that protect your furniture. Until next time, we hope these tips for storing furniture in Florida have been helpful, actionable, and empower you to store your fine furniture like a professional!