![air-compressor A small air compressor](https://www.wet-inc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/air-compressor.jpg)
Your pressure washers, air compressors, and power cleaners make your life (and work) easier, so it is understandable you want to care for them appropriately. You store these items easily enough when they are in constant use, what do you do with them when you do not need them?
Even in a warm climate like San Antonio, dust, dirt, sun, and weather can affect large appliances, causing them to malfunction or break over time. Here are three tips to help you keep your large appliances in great working order, even during the off-season.
1. Prepare All Large Appliances for Storage
While the decision of where to store your large appliances is critical, so too is the decision of how to store them. To make it through months of downtime without damage, your equipment must be properly prepared for storage.
Before you store items like air compressors or a shop vac, remember to change the filters, open the drain or output, and wrap all hoses neatly. This preparation helps prevent accidental damage and ensures your equipment will be ready for use the next time you need it.
2. Preserving Your Equipment in Weather
The elements can wreak havoc on your equipment: be sure that you store equipment in a safe, dry location, out of direct sunlight or any type of moisture. Your equipment does not necessarily need to be indoors, but it should be well-protected from the elements — wherever it is.
Most appliances are coated and treated to deal with a certain amount of rust-resistance, but hoses in particular do not always have the same protection.
3. Consider the Value of Outside vs. Inside Storage
Again, there are no prohibitions to storing your equipment outside, but you must ensure that your outside locations do what they can to keep your equipment safe and in good working order. Any outside storage location should feature a complete roof, walls to shield the equipment from high winds, dust and rain, and adequate flooring to keep the equipment out of the dirt.
As a general rule, keeping your equipment inside is recommended, especially if your outside locations do not live up to the above standards. A garage, shed, or mud room is ideal for large equipment and appliances, as is a designated shop.
Functional Appliances Start With Great Storage
The better you store your appliances, the more effectively they will perform when you need them. By storing your appliances indoors, if possible, out of the moisture and the elements, and preparing them appropriately for storage, you can enjoy quality, high-performing equipment for years to come.