The holidays are over. Now it’s time to take down the tree, lights, and other decorations you put up for the season, and put them back into storage. But are they being stored safely? Or are they interfering with your HVAC system? Here’s how to do holiday decoration storage properly.
Where Not to Store Decorations
A lot of people store holiday decorations in the furnace closet. It looks like a convenient storage space, putting decorations out of the way 11 months out of the year, while still allowing easy access when you need them. The problem is, putting boxes around your furnace can block the airflow to it. Not only that, but storing flammable decorations too close to a heating element is a recipe for disaster.
If you have an outdoor A/C unit, you may have heard that it needs to be kept clear of tall grass, foliage, and other obstructions around the unit. The same goes for your furnace. Don’t store boxes near it, don’t put drapes or curtains around it, and make sure there’s plenty of clearance around the unit on all sides, to optimize performance and prevent fire hazards.
Safe Decoration Storage
Store boxes of decorations in either the attic or the basement. Just make sure that they’re a safe distance from your HVAC system, as well as from any vents, to prevent obstruction. If you’re storing them in the basement, make sure they’re in plastic containers with sealed, airtight lids, to prevent damage in case the basement floods.
If your boxes are clear plastic, get another, opaque box to store colored lights, as exposure to light makes the color fade over time. Wrap any wreaths in plastic and hang them on the wall, rather than putting them in boxes. And if you have wax candles, be sure to store them someplace that will stay cool year round, to keep them from melting when the weather warms up.
To learn more about decoration storage and other HVAC issues, contact us at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing today. We’re the trusted source for quality HVAC solutions in Indianapolis.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
