To say this summer has been warm is a bit of an understatement. And while all this sun and heat can be great for a day at the beach, it can wreak havoc on your office furniture. Since weather damage is a major concern against which our Toronto office furniture warehouse safeguards, we’d like to share some of our wisdom to help you to keep your own office furniture safe against the rigors of summer.
Most heat-related weather damage has to do with two things: UV damage from direct sunlight and heat damage due to extreme or rapid shifts in temperature.
Sun damage is the most common of the two dangers for in-use office furniture. The solution is actually quite simple: avoid direct contact with the sun, particularly with surfaces that are prone to sun damage, such as leather and wood. Use blinds or shades to avoid direct sunlight—while also naturally cooling down your office (and any employees who might be baking in the sun as well).
While most offices have some form of climate control to prevent rapid shifts in temperature, you will want to be careful not to store any furniture that is either out of use or in transition in a location that sees extreme temperatures. Storage warehouses, for example, can heat up very quickly, which could cause some materials to warp and buckle.
Proper maintenance can greatly extend the life of leather office furniture. Leathers are kept supple by natural oils which dry out slowly over time (or more quickly in the sun and heat). Make sure you clean and maintain your leather office furniture at the turn of every season with specialized leather upholstery cleaners.
Also, remember that leather is a very porous material. Non-leather-safe cleaners can further dry out and even permanently damage leather upholstery!
Wood and leather furniture aren’t the only materials that are susceptible to sun damage. Fabrics—particularly vivid or dark colored fabrics—is also susceptible to UV damage. Make sure that any windows that shine direct light onto such fabrics is covered by a blind or shade—particularly when the desk is not in use.
Our furniture storage warehouse in Toronto is very carefully climate controlled and designed to prevent any extreme weather damage, regardless of what’s going on outside. Whether you’re storing new furniture until installation, holding furniture that’s in transition from one location to the next, or stashing used furniture that you intend to sell, a specialized office furniture warehouse can ensure that your furniture does not suffer storage-related heat damage.
To store your furniture with peace of mind, contact us today.