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Store drives in stable, dry, cool conditions

Heat, damp and rapid swings shorten the life of drives, discs and electronics. A good shelf location protects the backups.

How

1. Check the drive's datasheet: the WD Red range is rated 0 to 60 or 65 C operating and minus 40 to 70 C non-operating.
2. Keep humidity in check: the Canadian Conservation Institute treats 75 percent RH as the line above which damp damage rises steeply, with metal corrosion and mould speeding up.
3. Avoid rapid changes in temperature and humidity. Library of Congress research on discs found that cooler, drier, stable storage gave far longer life.
4. Store drives in padded, labelled boxes with desiccant, off the floor and away from outside walls, water pipes and the battery room.
5. Let a cold drive warm to room temperature in its sealed bag before you plug it in, to avoid condensation.

Sources

1. WD Red 3.5 inch NAS HDD data sheet (reseller-hosted copy). Western Digital, accessed 2026-11
2. Agent of Deterioration: Incorrect Relative Humidity. Canadian Conservation Institute, Government of Canada, accessed 2026-11
3. CD-R and DVD longevity research. Library of Congress, Preservation, accessed 2026-11

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