Planning an upcoming relocation? Trying to downsize? Garage too stuffed to park inside? If so, you’ve probably thought about renting a storage unit—but do you know which type of storage is best for your belongings? At Ace Moving & Warehousing, we want you to know that all storage solutions are not created equal. A standard unit can certainly help protect your things, but depending on what you're packing away, standard protection may not be enough. Below, we’re giving you the rundown on why climate-controlled storage is a better option.
Security Monitoring
Placing your valuables in the hands of a storage company takes them away from your watchful eye, which makes robust facility security essential. And no, not every storage company provides security monitoring, so don’t make that assumption! The last thing you want is to arrive at your unit and start digging around for something you need—only to find out it somehow grew a pair of legs and escaped.
Burglary is a very real threat at many storage companies, but not at Ace Moving & Warehousing. At our climate-controlled storage buildings, we don’t just monitor our security closely; we conduct routine inventory inspections and verifications for added peace of mind. We know your things mean the world to you, which is why we protect them as if they were our own.
Protection Against Extreme Temperatures
Do you plan to store your belongings long term? If so, are you aware that extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on your things? In Minnesota, we all know how crazy the weather can get, and depending on the season, temperatures can fluctuate up to 30 degrees in a single day!
Summer is scorching; winter is freezing (ahem, below freezing), and unless you’d like your valuables exposed to intense heat and icy cold, a climate-controlled storage unit is a must. To preserve your belongings in top condition, storage companies maintain their climate-controlled units at a temperature similar to that which you maintain in your own home. Not too hot, not too cold, but, as Goldilocks might say—just right.
Constant Humidity Control
Temperature isn’t the only weather condition that can harm your possessions when you keep them in a standard storage unit. What else is there? Everyone’s favorite: humidity! Except no one really likes humidity—and your belongings don’t appreciate it either.
Humidity, as you probably know, is nothing more than vaporized moisture. While that might not sound terrible, when outdoor humidity levels rise beyond a certain point, the additional ambient moisture provides the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. Anything made of wood or delicate materials is subject to warping and fungal growths; not to mention, when you pull your things out of storage, they'll smell strangely off.
Protection From Dust & Pests
Ever pull something out of storage, and it’s positively caked in dust? How gross, right? No matter where you store your extra things inside your home, somehow, dust always manages to take up residence where you’d prefer it not to live. Your attic isn’t safe, nor is your garage, and that shed in your backyard? Not even close. Even your closet shelves can’t repel dust the way a climate-controlled storage unit can.
Even better, climate-controlled storage units seal off your belongings from pest intrusion, which, for most people, is even less appealing than a thick frosting of dust. While neither dust nor pests pose an imminent destruction threat to your things, both are downright disgusting. Your stuff is valuable: you’re storing it because you want to keep it that way. And climate control ensures you do exactly that.
Better Air Quality
Great air quality may not be at the top of your storage unit must haves, but it’s a feature you should absolutely take into account. Standard storage units aren’t sealed from the outside the way climate-controlled units are, nor do they provide continual air circulation. Essentially, they allow poor quality air inside the unit, but then don’t move it around to prevent dust and debris from settling all over your valuables. As a result, when you pull your things out of storage, they’re a dusty mess—and they smell as though they’ve been sitting for 100 years, not 100 days.
All this is to say: air quality matters when you’re storing your valuables. To maintain your belongings in top condition, air circulation—and more importantly, protection from outdoor debris—is critical.
Which Household Items Require a Controlled Climate?
Convinced you need climate-controlled storage solutions yet? If you’re still on the fence, consider this: many of your household items literally require a well-controlled environment to maintain their quality over the long term. After all, they were designed to live inside your home—where the environment is well controlled at all times. What kind of things are we talking about? These ones:
● Clothing. Mold and moths. Need we say more?
● Art and decorative items. The optimal temperature for art storage is between 70-75°F. Humidity should hover around 50%.
● Documents. If you’re storing anything printed on paper, humidity and high temperatures can cause discoloration, fading, or worse, disintegration.
● Printed photos. High temperatures can cause photo prints to fade and stick one another.
● Wooden items. High humidity, excess moisture, pests, and dramatic temperature fluctuations can cause warping, cracking, fading, and rotting.
● Upholstered furniture. Anything covered in upholstery is highly sensitive to moisture. Without humidity control, unpleasant odors are virtually unavoidable, and mold proliferation is also likely.
● Electronics. You already know heat and moisture can destroy almost anything electronic. Need we say more? The same goes for old VHS tapes, cassettes, records, and the like.
Searching for Secure Storage Solutions? Contact Ace Moving & Warehousing Today
At Ace Moving & Warehousing, we know your possessions mean the world to you. That’s why, for over 60 years, we’ve been providing impeccably clean, safe, and secure storage solutions for residents throughout the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. To learn more about our variety of storage solutions and how we can help you protect your belongings, give our team a call at 763-755-2045 or send us a message on our contact page, and we’ll be in touch!