If you need to put a few old clothes or pieces of furniture into storage, but lack a storage room, it's easy to get mobile storage services to bring a container to your property. Unfortunately, basic storage may not be enough if you're putting more sensitive belongings like fine linens, electronics, or important paperwork away. Before choosing any random storage unit, consider a few risks of storage without preparation to figure out what storage features or extra steps you need for your belongings.
Dust Control And Containers
Two big dangers in even the more secure storage units are humidity and dust. Their continued buildup can happen either as you bring in and take out items or because of the way that humidity and condensation complicate things in certain climates.
Dust can get inside electronics and make cleanup a pain. Especially with computers, dust needs to be cleaned away to make sure that the device doesn't overheat and perform poorly or completely fail. Unfortunately, it takes some careful technique and computer expertise to properly clean the insides of certain electronics like computers without damaging the system beyond repair.
To control dust, you'll either need an air conditioning system, air filtration system, or sealed boxes. The first two options can be found in self storage facilities; and mobile storage services can probably provide for you as well, but if you need a mobile option on your property, sealed boxes are the better choice.
The boxes don't need to be airtight. Your devices can go inside any box that is made of non-permeable material as long as there is a rubber seal that doesn't allow dust to enter through large gaps where the lid covers the box. This means no cardboard.
Humidity Management
Humidity is a bit harder to control, especially if you live in humid areas such as the Southeast. Your best choices here are to make sure that your mobile storage unit is completely closed, is undamaged, and has a weather strip on the door.
When it rains, is your property prone to flooding? If so, make sure that the mobile storage unit is raised above the usual flood level in your area. Even a weather stripped door can allow in water as a flood settles, and if you're unable to dry off the storage unit properly, many units will begin to deteriorate and allow leaks from other areas.
There are flood-resistant storage units in the market, so be sure to discuss that concern before choosing a specific model. Contact a mobile storage company, such as AA All American Airborne Self-Storage, to find the right storage unit for you.
