Storage considerations?

[Kingpatzer]

I'm thinking of building a storage shed for my gear. Is there any consideration for storing scuba gear in terms of heat/cold? For example, if my shed might get down to -30 or so in the winter, is that a problem for any gear?

[Kidder]

I would be afraid of what if anything it would do to your seals.

[Hex92]

Last year I built a 'scuba shed'. Although that is really a misnomer since it is not a free standing structure.

I poured a 12ft x 25 ft pad next to my garage and enclosed it as another room with two doors. One entering from the garage and one from the outside. It is fully insulated (walls and ceiling) and I have a window unit to keep it cool in there during the summer. To heat it during the winter I use one of those oil filled electric radiators. It doesn't use too much power when set that low.

If you insulated your structure and ran power to it you could keep it from getting too cold. But I assume, with temps dipping down to -30, you might have to crank up the heater quite a bit to keep the room above freezing.

We also use a 9x12 ft section of the room for our weight bench so we are in and out of there every other day. During the winter I have the radiator set to keep the room 45-50 F. We use a small heater with a blower to heat it up quick when we want to work out.

[CompuDude]

Cold and hot temps are hard on rubber and neoprene products, such as wet/dry suits and regulators. The rest of your gear would probably be fine. I would consider keeping the two things in a more temperature-controlled storage location, but other stuff (masks, fins, etc.) shouldn't really have a problem.

[monarch11180]

yea rubber is not good to be in extremely hot or cold conditions... for example that is why baby seats now have expiration dates on them... because the sun's extreme heat jepordizes the plastics integrity

[TxScubaBear]

Spare closet in our house- keeps a ton of insects away from your gear too!
Temperature regulated, if someone wants to break in and get our stuff- they have to go thru 2 Shepherds first.....

[FastPirate]

Originally Posted by TxScubaBear

Spare closet in our house- keeps a ton of insects away from your gear too!
Temperature regulated, if someone wants to break in and get our stuff- they have to go thru 2 Shepherds first.....

ditto...but i have bears

[datamunk]

yea i prefer to find places inside my house, or even garage. i wont store tanks outside though, no matter the temp. all my gear i have in a giant giant duffle bag that i use when i go out, so once stuff is rinsed, goes in my bag, and then stuck under my bed! i even manage this right now in college haha

so, beds are good places. closets are great, so are garages. they tend to stay "warm or cool" to an extent. as far as what the person said about the wetsuit/drysuit, i suppose that is accurate, but moreso, is your regulator. those hoses will dryrot quick, and the orings will dry rot as well. so, put those somewhere "smart"


good luck!

[Mtrewyn]

Originally Posted by monarch11180

yea rubber is not good to be in extremely hot or cold conditions... for example that is why baby seats now have expiration dates on them... because the sun's extreme heat jepordizes the plastics integrity

car seats have the dates on them due to the UV rays, even in Alaska the plastic still rots, the UV rays will eat any plastic substance, rubber or other wise, if it was in a shed and the shed got hot, I don't know how it would hold up, I would keep the important things in the house, wettie, BC, reg/computer, other than that I would think it would be ok.

[Charles R]

I store all my gear inside the house in the closet under our stairs nothing else fits in there anyways!