There are ozone generators that use ultra violet light. That's probably the connection. Most commonly ozone is generated by spark discharge. The old oil and gas furnaces used spark ignition. Also, many electric motors will spark internally when switching from the start windings to the run windings. However all that stuff is contained inside the furnace and I've never smelled ozone in my basement. I know it's a standard recommendation to not store tires in your basement near a furnace, but it probably dates from 50 years ago.
Personally, I'd store bikes in the basement before I'd store them in the attic. However, it probably depends where you live. Some basements can be damp and mouldy; not good at all.
-- John Betmanis Woodstock, Ontario Canada
Tom Sanders wrote:
> Ken Freeman wrote that he keeps his bikes in the basement. Years ago I
> bought 80# of new in the box Campagnolo parts from a gent and took them to
> Greg Parker to sell them. Greg is about as canny as anyone about such
> things and he looked the stuff over and said he was surprised that it had
> all been kept in a basement these many years, because there was no evidence
> of damage from the furnace. He said they must have been in the other end of
> the basement. He went on to say that a furnace gives off something like
> Ultra violet (no that doesn't sound right , does it? I must have it a bit
> mixed up) that deteriorates tires, brake hoods, cables, washers, etc. I
> cannot for the life of me recall whether it was Ultra Violet, electro
> magnetic or what it was that was damaging. Might anyone recall hearing
> something like this?
>
> Tom Sanders
>
> Lansing, MI USA