Take These Steps to Minimize the Risk of Damage to Your Storage Unit

5 October 2016
 Categories: , Blog


A unit at your local self-storage center can provide the space for all your storage needs, but whether you need short- or long-term storage, you want to be sure that you don't cause any damage to the unit. While screw holes in the walls and the occasional dent might not concern the storage company, your rental agreement likely stipulates that you should avoid causing any greater forms of damage. Here are some steps that you can take to lessen the risk of causing damage within the self-storage unit.

Avoid Storing Any Food Products

Food products aren't prohibited in many self-storage units, but you walk a fine line when you choose to store some such items. Food products can entice pests to the area, and if pests enter, they could then potentially chew through the walls of your storage unit or the rubber trim below the roll-up door to get access to the food. When you return to the unit at a later date, you might be surprised to see part of your food missing and the unit itself in bad shape. If you absolutely need to store food products, store only those that will not attract pests, such as canned items. Other food products that aren't as impermeable should be kept in your home.

Keep Liquids Away

If you live in an area in which the temperature dips below freezing in the winter, you will want to avoid storing many different liquids. While it might be tempting to keep certain surplus cleaning products, bottled water, and other liquids in your unit, this could lead to trouble. Liquids can freeze and expand when subjected to subzero temperatures, resulting in the liquids cracking or breaking their containers. When the temperature warms up, the unit could get water damage—for example, a cracked case of water bottles can form a large puddle that damages the bottom of the drywall walls.

Avoid Stacking Things Dangerously

While it might be tempting to stack your possessions as high as possible to maximize your available storage space, this could prove detrimental to the condition of the storage unit. For example, if you have a precariously stacked group of items, a vibration in the unit—for example, a neighbor shutting his door—could potentially cause your things to topple. Any object with a sharp corner could bounce off the wall on the way down, leaving a nasty gouge. It's better to move shelving units into your storage unit to allow you to store things more securely.

Talk to a company such as Eagle Airport Car And Mini Storage for more tips.


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