Storing AV equipment properly is key to keeping it in tip-top condition so that when you set up your home cinema again, the sound and picture are as good as they can be.
Store AV equipment in a climate-controlled space
Moisture and changes in temperature can damage delicate AV equipment, so avoid putting it in a domestic attic or an unheated, uninsulated shed. A climate-controlled storage unit will keep your home entertainment equipment in good condition. Packets of silica gel can help reduce moisture in packing boxes, but you will have to replace these every once in a while.
Clean your home entertainment system before storing
Give your AV equipment a dust before you store it. This will avoid scratches from coarse dust particles and will also reduce the amount of dust getting inside your equipment. The manuals will have information on the best way to do this.
Label your AV boxes
It’s a good idea to take photos of the inputs to your AV equipment while it’s still cabled up. That way you can put everything back in the right place when you come to set it up again. Be sure to label everything too – have labelling equipment handy before you start packing your entertainment system. And pack manuals with your AV kit so they are present and handy when you want to unpack.
You can store AV equipment in its original boxes, or buy specialist cases – but whatever, you do, label everything. And make an inventory list too: this will help when you shop around for insurance, too.
Tame your cables
The last thing you want when you come to unpack your home entertainment system is a tangled mess of cables. AV engineers have a lot of opinions about the correct way to coil cables. This advice is really for professional equipment which is put away and got out frequently over its lifetime. It is, perhaps, less of a concern in a domestic setting. Nonetheless, it is worth taking care over when coiling cables so they stay organised.
Take extra care with screens
TV screens are particularly fragile and need special care when you are moving them. We’ve put all our advice in a blogpost about moving and storing screens.
Will my stored AV equipment be covered under home contents insurance?
When you store your AV equipment outside your home you may find it no longer comes under your home contents insurance. You should check the exact terms of your insurance to find out if it is covered while in storage. There are plenty of options for insuring your goods while they are in a storage unit – including Store and Insure’s coverage. It pays to shop around for self-storage insurance, so get a quick quote from us today.
Ready to set up again?
If you’ve documented your set-up with photos, and put the manuals in a handy spot, you may feel confident doing your own home cinema set-up. But for the best sound quality – particularly if you’re setting up in a different place, call on your local home entertainment shop for advice.
