Hey everyone,
Kind of an odd question here. My husband and I are moving to Hawaii for 6 months to a year. Super exciting, but we can't take all of our things with us. That being said, I do not want to get rid of either my kitchen aid or my vitamix because we will be getting a house after we come back from Hawaii. We currently live in Idaho which means hot hot summers and cold cold winters. Would these appliances be safe to store in a non-temperature regulated storage unit? I just want to take car of the machines. Thanks!
... would be the main thing to affect electrical appliances when in storage. I've no idea what the climate is like in Idho, but if you can keep them in a relatively dry place then they'll be just fine. Make sure they're properly cleaned to keep any wee beasties from making their home in nooks & crannies with flour, etc. lodged in them.
-Gordon
My first thought to keep the "wee beasties" out would be to store them in plastic. BUT, drogon is right about humidity. With the temperature and humidity swings in Idaho weather, there would be condensation. Clean the machines and store in breathable, non-edible containers with some form of repellant around it. Go natural with bay leaves,cinnamon or mint. Go chemical with repellants from the hardware store (not in the parts where future contact would affect humans).
Most storage advice sites recommend using climate-controlled storage for all electronic and appliances due to formation of rust and corrosion. With these being small items, could a friend store them for you? I'd still get a receipt from them. I guess I've watched too many "Judge Judy" episodes.
Steel parts will corrode over time and the plastics may be affected by the extreme temperatures if the storage unit is not temperature controlled.
If I were in your situation I'd purchase some of those large vacuum bags they use for shrinking and storing comforters, toss in some desiccant pouches, place your devices in the bags, then suck out the air with a shop vac. While temperature control won't be an immediate deal-breaker I'd ask family, friends or neighbors if you could keep those items in their temp-controlled basements or garages.