Why Climate-Controlled Storage Is Beneficial for Long-Term Storage Items
When you plan to store your belongings for more than a few weeks, it’s time to start considering what they’ll be sitting through. Seasonal temperature swings, cold snaps, heat waves, and variable humidity can all impact the well-being of your belongings, but is climate control always the best decision?
Not every item requires a red carpet, but many belongings benefit from a little extra care. We’re going to take a look at everything you need to know about climate control and how Superior Storage can help you keep your stored items secure.
What Is Climate-Controlled Storage?
Climate-controlled storage units come in various shapes and sizes.
You have a lot of options at your disposal. Drive-up units with climate control are available for easy access to your vehicle. Meanwhile, interior units are well-lit, and the hallways provide a comfortable space to store your belongings indoors. You also have a wide range of sizes, with small but highly capable 5×5 units to 10×20 and beyond.
No matter what size or accessibility options you choose, climate-controlled units at Superior Storage are always set to maintain a stable temperature range, shielding your belongings from extreme temperatures.
What Is Thermal Shock?
Your belongings can experience temperature-related damage, even if those temperatures never reach extreme hot or cold. Thermal shock happens when the temperature rises or drops quickly, even if that change is only a few dozen degrees.
Rapid expansion and contraction in wooden joints, adhesives, rubber gaskets, and other materials can accelerate wear, especially when stored for a long period of time. A climate-controlled unit can slow this process, acting as a buffer to avoid environmental changes regardless of what the weather is like outside.
Do I Need Climate-Controlled Storage?
As a general rule, climate control is always the best option to keep your belongings in the best storage environment possible.
That being said, certain items are more robust than others. If you are storing outdoor equipment designed for the cold and heat, like snowblowers, hiking gear, tents, and patio furniture, you may get a better value out of a non-climate-controlled option.
Many of our storage facilities have a wide selection of climate-controlled storage units, which you can browse with our online size guide.
Let’s take a look at some use cases where climate-controlled storage can make a difference.
Seasonal Storage with Climate Control
“Long-term” may not always be as long as you think.
Consider the time of year and how the weather will play into your storage plan. Many of our renters choose to hold their storage unit for just a portion of the year, whether that’s a single month or several seasons.
Think carefully about what you are storing and how it may react to changing conditions. Say, for example, you have a collection of scented candles that you’d like to store for two months as you get ready to move to a new home.
If you start in October and aren’t concerned about the glass breaking (keep them uncovered), then a conventional storage unit may be suitable.
However, between June and August, climate control may be the only way to keep your candles solid. Plan proactively, and if you are unsure of how long you will need to rent your unit, always go for climate-controlled storage.
Commercial Inventory Storage
For many businesses, climate control is a must-have for inventory storage. Let’s go back to our candle example.
If you own a custom candle business, you know that wax can be fickle. Certain mixtures may start to melt at a higher or lower temperature point than others. Without a carefully regulated environment, you could have some serious quality control issues as your products begin to deteriorate in non-climate-controlled storage.
Climate control removes a level of risk from your inventory storage strategy, even for goods that are more resistant to temperature changes. By maintaining stable conditions inside your unit, you can maintain a stable level of quality in your products while enjoying easy access to your commercial storage space.
Reserve Your Climate-Controlled Storage Space with Superior Storage Today
So, is climate control necessary? The best way to find out is to assess your plans for storage and the needs of the items you intend to store.
Are you storing any wooden furniture, leather products, photographs, or vinyl records? Or electronics, paper documents, or other important materials? If you answered yes to any of these items or are unsure, give yourself peace of mind for your belongings with climate-controlled storage. Contact us or visit a Superior Storage Facility near you to reserve your climate-controlled space today.