I kept my power tool batteries in the wrong place for years — here's where they actually belong

Being able to reuse your batteries over and over again is such a plus. Rechargeable batteries are some of the most useful parts of your tools. Of course, you can also get small rechargeable batteries that you put into your smaller gadgets. But the most common kind of rechargeable batteries these days are lithium-ion batteries.

If you're using power tools, you are almost certainly using lithium-ion batteries, which can be charged again and again to keep your machines moving. Whether it's an edger, weed whacker, trimmer, leaf blower, or many other power tool options, you can just pop the batteries in and go. However, the makeup of lithium-ion batteries, while sturdy, should be protected, especially when storing them.

Avoid places that are hot

This is particularly important in the summer

Heat causes the battery to degrade more quickly. While it may not be noticeable right away that the heat is affecting your batteries, it will gradually wear down more easily over time.

As you're thinking about where to store your lithium-ion batteries, you may think of a garage or a shed. It's probably where you keep your tools if you have many at home. This is especially true for tools you use outside, like your blowers, chainsaws, outdoor lights, and more.

Putting lithium-ion batteries in the heat isn't the worst thing in the world. If you happen to need to use it on a hot day to cut away some poison ivy by your shed (like I need to do at my own home), you should be able to without a problem. However, if you are storing your batteries outdoors during the summer or in a hot attic or basement, it can degrade them quickly.

The same goes for if you leave them in a hot car. Because of the insulation in the car, they trap heat, making them a place for more rapid wearing. This compounds if your car is sitting in the sun as well, where it is naturally warming up in temperature.

Don't store your batteries on their chargers

Charge and then use them

Usually, your batteries will come with either a cable that allows you to charge them in a block or they'll come with a charger that you plug them into. If they are more sophisticated batteries, like the ones that you'd use with Ryobi power tools, known as Ryobi ONE+, they come with a charger.

But, if you have a bunch of different batteries that you want to charge, you can get something similar to a power station that lets you charge multiple at a time. However, if you're going to do that, you need to keep an eye on their battery levels.

As batteries stay on a charger, the battery level will go higher. If you're keeping your batteries at 100% all the time, that's ultimately not good for the battery. That's because they are under constant voltage strain. You should aim to keep your batteries charged between 40% and 60% when they are stored. This can help minimize calendar aging, which is what happens as your batteries lose their effectiveness over the years by being older devices.

This is similar to how you shouldn't leave your cellphone plugged in overnight and how you shouldn't charge it to 100%. This will keep the battery lasting longer.

Don't sit your battery near other metal objects

Keep it away from your spare change

If you're using your lithium-ion battery for your power tool, you should take it off of your machine as soon as you're done using it. This will disconnect its terminals from parts of the machine that can drain it.

When you're putting your battery away, try not to keep it near other metal objects. These can make contact with those terminals, similar to how the battery fits into corresponding areas of the machine that trigger the power to kick in.

If metal objects come into contact with the terminals, they could make the battery register that it's on and kick on the machine. While this may seem rare, it also could cause a short circuit if the metal objects are positioned in a specific way. It's better to be safe than sorry when you're storing your battery.

Keep your battery away from the sink

Avoid your hot water heater too

Water can be disastrous for your lithium-ion batteries. This is because water and lithium are incredibly reactive to one another. Mixing lithium and water creates a heat-producing chemical reaction.

The last thing you want to do is potentially cause a spark in your battery, caused by leaving it near water. It will fizzle and leave behind a corrosive substance, known as lithium hydroxide.

If there's an outlet in your bathroom and you want to plug the charger in there, you should consider doing it elsewhere. Placing it on a sink countertop or on the floor of the bathroom could make it prone to being near a leak.

The same goes for if you want to store it in your basement near the hot water heater. Utilizing whatever space in your home that you have is one thing. But try and avoid putting your batteries near water.

Don't put your lithium-ion battery in the freezer

This may seem obvious, but it's a change from the past

It was common back in the day to store your alkaline batteries in the freezer. The freezing temperatures could slow down the aging process of your batteries, many people thought. While the effectiveness of this has been argued, people still believe in doing it.

If you're going to be using batteries in colder temperatures, lithium batteries are your better bet in the long run. However, you don't want to keep your batteries in the freezer.

Since lithium-ion batteries are made differently from alkaline batteries, they can be stored at different temperatures. You can store lithium batteries in as cold as -40°F. But that doesn't mean that you should.

You should consider storing your batteries in dry, cool place rather than in freezing temperatures. This will make it easier for you to grab them and use them.

Storing batteries shouldn't be difficult

At the end of the day, just think logically when you're storing your lithium-ion batteries. Keeping them in a cool place that isn't sweltering or damp is a smart decision. Don't keep them plugged in all the time either. The better you are about your charging, the longer your batteries will last.