Record collectors have long made a joke that summer and winter are simultaneously their least favorite months. Whenever the temperature gets too far above or below a certain point, your precious albums could potentially get damaged. That’s why you’ll certainly want to pay very close attention to the following four tips. Depending on what climate you live in, they could save your records from becoming hopelessly warped. Here are a few of the many ideas on how to keep your vinyl records safe during the summer heat.
1. Invest in a Good Storage System
Perhaps the most important way to protect your collection is to get a custom vinyl storage system that’s stable enough to hold all of your records. This will help to keep them in one place and shield them from any unnecessary ultraviolet rays, which could do even more harm to them than mere heat and humidity could. Set your storage system up in a protected area of your home. The nicest thing about modular storage racks is the fact that you can reorient them as you see fit, thus making it easier to put your collection somewhere safe. This is how countless local radio stations protect their priceless record libraries.
2. Regulate the Temperature as Much as Possible
Regular long-playing records can start to fold up on themselves at around 212° Fahrenheit. While this sounds like a very high temperature, it’s certainly not out of the question for inside a car or a hot attic. If you don’t have to move your collection out of your home, then don’t. A good HVAC system and some fans can help to regulate the temperature if all else fails.
3. Prop Your Records Up
Don’t let your records lean to one side, since this encourages warping. Use bubble wrap or other soft material to fill in any gaps between records. Stack your storage containers in a way that forces your records to stand up straight. While you don’t want them to be in there too tightly, you also don’t want them to twist around each other due to having too much space. As your collection grows, you’ll end up with enough records that you shouldn’t have any major gaps.
4. Sort Them by Size
Older 78 RPM records tend to be thicker and heavier than 33⅓ LPs or small 45s. You’ll want to sort your collection by type if at all possible. Putting them into dedicated racks by size keeps one record from crushing another, which is always important but tends to be more so when the mercury starts to climb in your thermometer. You may want to use a small 45 holder for all of your singles and put it next to your dedicated storage racks.
No matter what sort of strategy you decide to take to protect your collection, you’ll want to be sure you check it over often during the hottest days of the summer. If anything looks like it won’t hold up much longer, then you need to either move it or take extra steps to cool your place down.
