Having a vinyl record collection can be a lot of work, especially if you have to store it in a self-storage facility. For musicians, this is their bread and butter. You need to acquire a climate-controlled unit to ensure your albums don’t warp and are in a regulated temperature. This is especially important for climates that carry a lot of humidity, like Miami or Texas. Knowing what you need to do can save you a lot of headache and trouble in the long run.
Vinyl records are keepsakes. They won’t ever be manufactured again. There’s nothing that compares to the sound of vinyl over new music that can send you into nostalgia. This is a collection you don’t ever want to part with! Heat or moisture can damage these albums, and you won’t be able to use them anymore. Here are a couple of tips on how to keep your vinyl albums warp free:
Use a sleeve
Putting your albums in sleeves can help keep them away from moisture and avoid scratches. If you’re not using it, you should have it in a protective sleeve. Music lovers can find places where sleeves are sold by doing a quick Google search.
Keep them stacked upright
Stacking your albums one on top of the other will keep your albums hot. You want to prevent that as much as possible. Stack them upright like books. Using crates is very efficient and can help preserve your collection.
Keep them in a secure, temperature regulated place
Climate-controlled units are the best. This keeps out moisture and heat, keeping your albums at one temperature to avoid warping. If you’re just storing albums, you won’t need a really large unit, and can save some money. No matter what, you don’t want to put your albums in an attic or store them in places where you run the risk of them being damaged.
There are a lot of other tips available for music lovers and aficionados on Facebook groups and other sites that cater to music lovers. You would be surprised the number of people who are collectors that have run into preservation issues. More often than not, they will all agree that a climate-controlled room or self-storage unit works wonders. For those musicians that have their own copyrighted records on vinyl, this is even more important.
Taking the time to preserve items that are priceless is the best thing you can do. Heirlooms are a part of family history and define who you are. It’s a huge part of your legacy. You may want to resell them one day and having them in pristine condition is key. Utilizing a self-storage facility that can help you at a reasonable cost will be worth its value in gold. Do your research and find a facility that specializes in keeping these types of items, and make sure their “climate” is the right one for your items. Make sure to follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to making it happen. The rest is up to you.
