Storing Fine China In Attic

According to agricultural engineer b r.

Storing fine china in attic.

If you re storing electronics in your attic you might be unpleasantly surprised to find them less than functional in the future. Extreme temperatures can damage your china which is why storing them in the garage or attic is usually not a good idea. Things you cannot store in a hot attic. Stewart attics without air conditioning can reach up to 160 degrees fahrenheit on a hot day and that s way too hot for your electronics to survive apple recommends using their computers at between 50 and 95.

Keep in mind that china is heavy so use small or medium size containers to store it. Heat can damage things such as photographs and wood. Most things will be pretty obvious but there is also one item that many people mistakenly do store in the attic. If you have fine china that has been passed down from family members and might just be your ticket to fortune on antiques roadshow you may want to consider upgrading to more specialized china storage.

Choose a storage spot with low traffic. Not only is your china cabinet not too humid or hot but it makes it convenient to access your silver and china when you want to use them for special occasions. Some people have a couple of sets of china and glassware including an everyday set and also a nicer set reserved for use for special occasions that you may have received as wedding presents. Don t store these items in a hot attic.

Use the attic to store anything that is impervious to heat. My grandmother gave me her china recently and i am not in a house where i can use it yet. Keep the china at room temperature in insulated rooms where there are no wide temperature swings. A dining room hutch or cabinet is an obvious solution.

We ve talked about a lot of things you can store in an attic so now let s talk about things you cannot store in a hot attic. When i refer to china i am using the term to encompass ceramic tableware porcelain and fine china place settings and sets of serving pieces. In the basement store everything in clear plastic bins labeled and not packed too heavily. Storing items in your attic is far more preferable than storing them in the basement where they may get wet think about flooding or garage where they are exposed to the elements.

Hagerty usa is highly rated and makes storage pieces for just about every plate platter and bowl you can imagine. But if you don t have one it s perfectly ok to claim an unused shelf in the linen closet the space under the guest bed or even the attic or basement provided it s temperature controlled too hot or too cold and you risk damaging the china. Place enough wrap or paper between each item to prevent the pieces from touching directly. The temperature changes can lead to crazing discoloration and other damage.

Make a list of what you have. Always stack plates platters and bowls on their sides like a loaf of bread not like a stack of pancakes. A good storage place would be in a drawer in a hutch or china cabinet as opposed to a wet basement or hot attic. Store silver in flannel treated bags and cloth to help retard tarnishing.