Storing Gear in Outdoor Shed or Cabinet

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ermaclob

Contributor
Messages
523
Reaction score
92
Location
Miami Dade County, Florida
# of dives
200 - 499
Can anyone give me some advice of storing gear in outdoor storage. In something along these lines
browns-tans-rubbermaid-plastic-sheds-1887156-64_1000.jpg


I need some where to keep all my gear accessable and organized at hone but im having a big space problem. Would keeping all my stuff in a plastic outdoor cabinet be a good idea?. This things arnt air tight or climate controled so Im conserned with my gear being exposed the florida humidity and bugs etc. Any tips?
 
There are dive shops all over the Carribean/world where gear is constantly stored in places that are not protected from humidity, bugs, or much of anything other than rain, sun and theft - probably more the rule than the exception. The lack of airflow and "almost" tightness of this might be worse in the long run than what you see in those places - lattice, louvers, etc. I would worry most about silcone rubber parts, as they are tasty to some small critters. (Having had a hole chewed in an inflator hose once.)
 
how much do you dive...if you dive every week this will most likely work...but if only once in a while i would rethink your storage......i feel your gear storage pain....good luck.
 
how much do you dive...if you dive every week this will most likely work...but if only once in a while i would rethink your storage......i feel your gear storage pain....good luck.

I used to dive alot, 1 to 3 times a week, untill i took an arrow to the knee.....

I stoped to finish up with school etc. And now wanna start up again. One of the big problems preventing it is the loss of my old storage location. My gear is all scatered through out various closets and spots throughout where i live. Its a big hassale to find let alone set up things. And putting things back is an even bigger ordeal.
 
Your gear will cook in the Florida heat! A cool dark place like a closet in the home is best....garage at worse.
 
As others have said, you'll want to control temperature and humidity and pests. Humidity can be done with either an electric or chemical dehumidifier. Electric requires less maintenance, but requires electricity. You also want to keep it from getting hot. A closed box like that in the Florida sun will be an oven. Can you keep it somewhere that's shaded 100% of the time? Can you provide any kind of artificial cooling/ac?

I keep my gear in a garage, which keeps it somewhat cool. Consistently below 100f. I also installed an electric dehumidifier which keeps it drier. Pest control is already something I am on like stink on gear, so that's also being managed in my garage.

Can you think up a different solution? Maybe constructing a small shed with some insulation, a little bit of proper shingle roofing would allow you more flexibility. You could even run a duct from your central AC to it in a pinch. Just thinking out loud here.

Another option: Don't store it at your house. Some dive shops offer gear storage. You could rent a temp/humidity controlled storage unit. If you get a small closet sized one, they are fairly reasonably priced.

Edit: It occurred to me that the dive shop option is not without risk. I recall at least once reading about a dive shop that stored gear closing. When they closed, nobody got their stored gear back. There's a thread about it on scuba-board somewhere. Crappy situation all around. Storage unit from a chain might be a better option since they're likely to have stuff like insurance and even if they close a location they still need to manage their reputation.
 
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i live in a two bedroom apartment.....my gear is my roommate...(LOL)...i know sad right.
 
if your place is not big enough to store your dive gear, then you need to move into a bigger place or get rid of your spouse so you can have their space for your dive gear.......kidding.....
 
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