4 Items To Keep In A Climate Controlled Self-Storage Facility

Keeping items in a climate-controlled storage facility can significantly improve the odds that they'll hold up well. Even if you only aim to keep items in climate-controlled self-storage units for a few weeks, the benefits might surprise you. Certain items will naturally benefit more from the presence of climate control so let's take a look at what they are and why it matters.

Wood

Anything with wood in it is going to do well in climate-controlled storage units. Wood often absorbs water from the surrounding air, and that can cause it to swell. Worse, it will dry out when conditions change. The net effect is that wood will suffer repeated expansion and contraction as the humidity and temperature levels shift over time. If you leave wood in an uncontrolled environment, you can end up with something warped.

Bear in mind that lots of items contain wood, even if it's not necessarily evident. Lots of chairs and couches, for example, have wood frames with layers of padding and upholstery.

Leather

All leather materials are sensitive to climate conditions, especially if you're not able to regularly treat the items. If you need to store a beloved leather jacket, for example, the smart move is to keep it in a climate-controlled self-storage facility. Otherwise, there's a risk that when you come back you'll see cracked leather. It is also a good idea to properly treat any leather items before placing them in storage, especially if you plan to keep them there for a long time without checking in on them.

Art

Many works of art are sensitive to climate conditions, too. This extends to art materials, including stuff for crafting. Paints and glues, in particular, tend to not do well in high-humidity environments. They also can be sensitive to heat exposure. You may also find issues with frames and staples if they're not kept in ideal and well-controlled conditions.

Electronics and Appliances

Many systems with electronic components store poorly in uncontrolled settings. Solder points on electronics and appliances are prone to corrosion, especially over time when left without much attention. This can cause them to short when you fire the devices up after months or years.

Notably, you should remove all batteries from systems before storing them in any environment. If a battery dies in storage, it can leak toxic chemicals onto the surrounding components. In the worst scenarios, this can cause massive and unrecoverable damage. Also, be aware that many devices have small batteries in them to keep time data. These have to come out or they can experience the same sort of damage.

For more information on climate-controlled self-storage units, contact a company near you.