There are three sure ways to destroy your favorite Pink Floyd or Beatles album—stack them on top of each other, store them near heat, or expose them to humidity.
Do any of these things, and you’ll be the one on the dark side of the moon or in the lonely-hearts club. Because your records will be warped, melted, and simply unplayable.
Tips for Storing Vinyl Records Safely
1. Keep them clean. If the original liner is damaged, replace it with a new one. Some experts recommend replacing all original sleeves with less abrasive ones like these from Analogue Seduction.
2. Be careful how you put your record in the outer sleeve. Don’t just drop it in, as this will eventually break the seam on your sleeve. Instead, hold the outer sleeve horizontally and gently place your record inside.
3. Never stack records on top of each other. Doing so is a sure way to warp them. Instead, arrange them in crates like books on a shelf. Make sure they’re neither too snug nor too loose, as this would allow them to fall over onto each other.
4. Keep your records away from light and heat, as both can actually melt your vinyl. This applies not only to storing your collection, but also the record on your turntable, which could be ruined by just one afternoon in the sun.
5. Avoid humidity. Humidity isn’t as damaging to the album itself as heat is, but it is incredibly damaging to the album cover (which is half the fun of a record collection). Humidity can even cause mold to set in – a sure way to ruin the album cover and leave your album unprotected. .
Use Climate Controlled Storage for Records
If you’ve got extra room in a hall or bedroom closet, that’s generally a safe place to store a record collection, as long as they’re not stacked on top of each other. But if you’ve delegated your vinyl to the basement or attic, you’re taking a risk.
At StorageMart, you can rent a climate-controlled self storage unit as small as 25 square feet or so—which will offer more than enough room to store hundreds of albums, as well as your old record player. Check out our storage unit guide or rent a unit online today.