Tips To Protect Your Goods Against Damage In A Storage Unit
Storage units are an excellent choice to store belongings you need but can't have in your home. Irrespective of whether you intend to store your goods for a few weeks, months, or years, you need to ensure they are protected from any form of damage. There are different causes of damage that your goods can be exposed to when in a storage unit. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to prevent damage.
Ensure Proper Ventilation and Temperature
When storing goods that are sensitive to changes in temperature, it is important to ensure the temperature is well regulated. Extreme temperatures can cause damage, especially to artwork and other high-value items. Consider renting a climate-controlled unit if you have sensitive goods or live in a zone where the climate has extreme variations.
Additionally, it is important to ensure the storage unit has sufficient ventilation. Stuffing a lot of goods in your unit without enough space for air to circulate can result in moisture build-up that causes damage to your goods.
Cover Your Items Using a Plastic Sheet To Prevent Water Damage
When analyzing the possible cause of damage to goods in a storage unit, water damage rarely comes to the mind of renters. However, water is a potential hazard that you need to protect your goods from. The main challenge with water damage is that there doesn't need to be a lot of water to cause damage. A little amount of water that gets inside your unit and soaks your items is enough to cause massive damage.
Besides ensuring the unit you rent isn't in a low-lying area prone to flooding, you can also prevent water damage by covering your items using plastic paper. Alternatively, you can place absorbent items around the storage unit to keep other goods safe from water and moisture accumulation.
Regularly Inspect and Clean the Unit
Pests are also a cause for concern in a storage unit. Rodents, bedbugs, roaches, and other pests may be tiny, but they cause massive damage, especially to clothes and furniture. Before storing your goods in a unit, always inspect it and ensure there aren't any cracks.
After storing your goods, remember to close all the windows to prevent pests from making their way from other units to your units. Always aim to inspect and clean your unit every few months to ensure no pest infestations.
Unfortunately, you cannot predict some events like natural disasters. However, you can use the tips above to ensure your stored goods remain safe in your storage unit.