Storing valks in the garage

[DuffCon]

Couldn't find this in a search and got no love in the newbie thread.

Are there any issues displaying valks in a garage? No direct sunlight but would get hot/cold. This is a California garage, so no real extreme temps except heat. The garage has finished walls and ceiling. Worried about yellowing primarily.

[Chronocidal]

I wouldn't personally store any valk anywhere that isn't air-conditioned. California especially.

I've had old toys in complete darkness turn a nice shade of urine yellow, because they were left in a box in a garage. I don't know whether it was just the heat, or a combination of heat and UV, but a garage is just not good for either because the ceiling probably won't be very well insulated compared with the rest of the building.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Chronocidal

[DuffCon]

Just to clarify, the ceiling is sheet rocked, no insulation, walls are also finished, unknown if insulated. temps are actually quite reasonable, probably high 80s at worst, no sunlight. Seems like not a good idea, any more input? Anyone have valks in a house with no a/c?

Edited July 29, 2014 by DuffCon

[skullmilitia]

[jenius]

I stored my valks in a garage (in big plastic totes) in a coastal city (temps usually between 40 and 80) and didn't see any problems from this. I did store as many as possible in the house proper though and I keep desiccants in all my totes.

[Chronocidal]

Oh, just read your location, and actually, while I still wouldn't personally risk it, San Francisco is probably one of the safer parts of California to do that. The damage I had happened in the central valley, and I live near Mojave now, so there's no way I'd ever even consider storing anything in my garage.

[spanner]

I have seen storage nightmares first hand with what happened to loads of stuff my cousin had on shelves stored in his garage.. a lot of original boxes and contents suffered damage from mold and mildew and he lost a lot of good stuff. Not to mention mice and other insects eating away at stuff.. he has a 4 car wide garage with 2 spaces still taken by their cars and I think having the doors opened up fairly frequently along with what the cars brought in and gave off was always going to be a recipe for disaster!

[technoblue]

I've lived in New York and Massachusetts, where A/C is less of a requirement and more of a nice-to-have during the summer. Around here, heating is the big money maker for the majority of the year. At least, that's how it has been historically.

So temperature may not always be a concern depending on where you live, but water and pests are. A garage provides direct access to the elements, so unless there is a clever way to seal what you are storing, I would avoid it. Where I live, there are other factors to consider too, since many older New England houses have fieldstone foundations that breathe. This also limits basement storage in those houses because the stones weep when the snow melts.

Sump pumps are the other big business in flood areas.

[Mommar]

I guess in San Francisco that might be okay. Being from New Mexico my first thought was "GOD NO, the HEAT!" (and we can get pretty damn cold around here too...) I still wouldn't personally do it but if you have no other option your location might make it more okay then where I live.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Mommar

[The Old Man]

Anyone have valks in a house with no a/c?

Lol. Pretty much anyone in the UK.

We have a version of a/c. It's called opening a window

Edited July 29, 2014 by The Old Man

[Gakken85]

double post

Edited July 29, 2014 by Gakken85

[Gakken85]

There seems to be a lot of mysticism involved when it comes to valk storage and display.

This article on SNES yellowing pretty much lays it down.

Most plastics typically reflect the majority of UV light that hits them. However, if there are trace elements of catalyst residues (chemicals used in manufacturing of the plastic), such as if the manufacturer doesn't get the mixture quite right, then the residues present in the final plastic will absorb UV and drastically accelerate the degradation process. Exposure to UV light in this instance starts a process called photodegradation (through photooxidation), which takes place in parallel with thermal oxidation (from exposure to heat). Both processes break down the chemical structure of the plastic as certain parts of it combine with available oxygen. And once this process gets started, it feeds upon itself and starts a continual cycle of degradation. Interestingly enough, the disrupted plastic molecules that are produced by the photooxidation process absorb UV light themselves and re-emit it at a lower wavelength (in the visible range), which changes the perceived color of the plastic.

In the case of the SNES plastic, however, the trigger of the oxidation process is clearly not UV light, but simple and unavoidable exposure oxygen in the air over time, with heat possibly accelerating the process. Once the process is triggered, its effects cascade in a recursive cycle — as in the UV example above — eventually changing the physical nature of the plastic and its color. Visual proof that exposure to air is causing the SNES discoloration can be seen in the picture below:

Think about it logically.

What are you going to have to contend with in a garage?

1. UV rays aren't going to go through a roof of any kind and then go through the box. Not an issue. Anything that blocks visual light, blocks UV light. Make sure your garage doesn't have fluorescent light though, as that will hasten yellowing.

2. Intense heat and then intense cold will accelerate the process mentioned above when mixed with oxygen. So if you don't have a climate controlled garage I wouldn't suggest it. If you live in a place with huge swings in climate it could be an issue, like a desert town.

3. Plastics that yellowed in the box either A. reacted to the plastic/foam in the box that was holding it and hastened the process, or B. it had more trace elements of residues than other pieces produced at the same time. You lost the lotto.

That's why they put those holes in plastic bags for toys and such, so there will be some fresh air that isn't just the plastic.

The only other consideration would maybe be mold (wet places) and smells.

Mold could build up in the cardboards if it's a damp place like a sea town or your basement leaks This could put smells into the boxes, and you could maybe even get mold on your toys over a long enough period of time. Mold grows on anything.

Smoke is a no brainer. It will combine with the plastic and yellow it or make it smell.

So yeah, if it's climate controlled and dry... you're doing all you can do.

The rest is in the hands of the chaos gods. (chemistry)

Edited July 29, 2014 by Gakken85

[Sildani]

And if you buy a painted Valk, avoiding these issues, you have a new issue of the paint chipping during transformation. Can't win.

Gotta buy a Valk that's molded in color.

[Saburo]

Lol. Pretty much anyone in the UK.

We have a version of a/c. It's called opening a window

The same goes for here in Seattle.

[DuffCon]

So yeah, if it's climate controlled and dry... you're doing all you can do.

The rest is in the hands of the chaos gods. (chemistry)

Well, not climate controlled, but an SF east bay garage doesn't really see temps below 40 or above 90. Our climate is very arid so moisture isn't really a concern. Same reasons why cars live forever here.

[Gakken85]

I'd say you'd be mostly fine... though 90's is pretty hot. Maybe put a fan on em in the summer haha

[derex3592]

For anyone in England or Seattle......I hate you.

Love..anyone in TX.

LOL.

[Dimis]

For anyone in England or Seattle......I hate you.

Love..anyone in TX.

LOL.

London here... Storage-friendly temperature and sunscreen for everyone 330 days a year. Humidity sometimes worries me but it's not like i live in a shed !