Whether you’re moving to a new location or just looking to save some space in your home, climate controlled storage units are worth considering when you need to keep your belongings and valuables in a safe environment. These units offer exceptional value and an ideal environment for storing a variety of goods, but there are specific benefits to storing collectibles and other specialty items in temperature controlled storage.
What is climate-controlled storage?
Climate controlled storage units allow customers to secure everything from small valuables to large vehicles, and offer a consistent, predictable range of humidity and temperature to ensure nothing is damaged while in storage. These units typically keep humidity between 30% and 60%, with temperatures between 55°F and 80°F (13°C to 27°C), and have a variety of benefits for customers, regardless of need and price range.
What can I store in climate controlled storage?
Storage units are often thought of as spaces for you to shove clutter and other personal items into, but plenty of specific items that require special care, from books to art supplies, will benefit from being kept in climate controlled storage. Let’s go over seven of them now.
Books
If you have a collection of valuable hardbacks or comic books, using climate controlled storage offers an obvious advantage–a controlled environment will prevent mold and humidity or heat damage to the paper, and the security offered by a storage unit will give you peace of mind that your books won’t be exposed to the elements. However, these advantages apply to any physical books you may have, regardless of monetary or sentimental value.
Humidity levels outside 30% to 55% and temperatures above 70°F can be dangerous for books of any kind, leading to faster aging of the paper and even making it easier for mold to grow on them. Areas with extreme changes in humidity and temperature–for example, coastal regions or areas that get particularly hot in the summer–can also put stress on the paper, covers, and binding of books, which is why climate-controlled storage is one of the best ways to make them last longer.
Physical Media Storage: Music and Movies
Books aren’t the only physical form of media worth preserving–whether they have monetary or just personal value, your music and movies deserve to be stored in an environment where they won’t sustain damage. Vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes can all be damaged by humidity, and vinyl and cassettes are the most susceptible to temperature and heat fluctuations as well.
Movies should also be kept in mind when investing in climate-controlled storage units, especially if you have a collection of VHS tapes, as the magnetic tape inside them degrades when exposed to heat or extreme cold. This can be a particular concern for customers with a collection of old family home movies, which run the risk of being erased or rendered unplayable if stored improperly.
Vintage and Delicate Clothing
Both small and large wardrobes benefit from being stored in a controlled environment. Say you’re a reseller of vintage clothing. You don’t want to let humidity and temperature fluctuations damage the clothes you’re storing. Investing in every precaution to protect them from extreme and unpredictable conditions is in your best interest. Climate controlled storage units offer a simple solution to your clothing inventory problem, and can include cloth garment bags and racks to hang delicate items on for added protection and organization.
Personal vintage and delicate items can also benefit from climate-controlled storage. Even if you’re just putting away a collection of summer clothes for the winter, it’s worth considering how much you’ll save in the long run by protecting delicate fibers from the elements.
Tools
Do you need climate controlled storage to keep extra household equipment and hardware tools? While these items are built to last, they aren’t completely safe from extreme conditions. Those living in a wet and humid climate with metal tools such as saws, hammers, and screwdrivers are at risk of their equipment developing rust, meaning you won’t be able to use them for their intended purpose when the time comes and may need to replace them.
Investing in a climate controlled storage unit is an easy way to protect these tools from rust and prolong their life, saving you more money on replacements in the long run. Power tools like drills and electric saws will also benefit from these units, as excess humidity can damage the electronics inside them, rendering them unusable. If you’re a professional contractor or woodworker, keeping these tools ready for the job at a moment’s notice is even more important.
Musical Instruments and Touring Equipment
Professional musicians and hobbyists should consider the conditions where they store their equipment. High humidity can warp wooden instruments like guitars and violins, as well as cause rust on brass and other metals. Electronic instruments and equipment such as keyboards and stage monitors can also be damaged by humidity and temperature changes.
While it’s tempting to shove your instruments into a closet or corner of your attic, maintaining a climate controlled environment is the best way to keep these instruments in good condition when they’re not in regular use. It’s simple to find a climate controlled storage unit within your budget to protect your equipment from the elements.
Antique and Mid-Century Modern Wooden Furniture
As with all wood and paper goods, wooden furniture will sustain damage and warp when exposed to areas with high or regularly changing humidity. If you’re reselling furniture, climate controlled storage units are the best way to protect the value of your items; if you’re in the business of home staging, these units provide an easy place for you to organize furniture before it’s time to stage.
Antique and mid-century modern wooden furniture can also be stored in climate controlled units before and after you refurbish them. However, it’s important to remember you can’t use a storage unit as your refurbishing workshop unless it is specifically zoned for it. Storage unit facilities typically don’t allow this in standard use, and these units usually don’t have the electricity, lighting, or ventilation necessary to perform woodworking inside them. When looking for the perfect storage unit for your business, ensure that you can rent a climate controlled unit with electricity that allows for commercial use.
Arts and Crafts Supplies
Physical artists and crafters with a variety of supplies that aren’t seeing regular use should consider seeking out climate controlled storage. Paints and markers can easily dry out if they aren’t stored in the right environment, and wooden easels and blank canvases can also sustain damage from changes in humidity and temperature.
Soap-making and candle-making supplies that benefit from being stored in cool, dry spaces can also safely be stored in climate controlled units. Finally, knitters and fiber artists who work with natural fibers like wool can store their materials in these specialty storage units to protect them from environmental damage and potential pests.
What shouldn’t I store in climate controlled storage?
While all of the above items will benefit from using a climate controlled storage solution to keep them, here are a couple of specialty items that won’t see as much benefit. The following should be stored in units that are designed specifically for these items for maximum protection.
Wine
Storing bottles of wine in climate controlled storage units will certainly protect them from the elements, but wine will actually benefit from higher humidity levels, as low humidity will cause the corks to dry out and make them more difficult to remove. If you’re serious about keeping wine bottles in the best condition possible, look into specialty wine storage–these providers have facilities that have more precise humidity control for an ideal environment.
Fine Art
If you’re a fine art collector, putting your collection into climate controlled storage is a optimal choice compared to storing your paintings or sculptures in the attic, but as with wine, the most ideal conditions come from more precise humidity and temperature control than these units can provide. Look into specialty art storage facilities, especially if the pieces in your collection are high-end and hard to insure or replace.
Easily Find Climate Controlled Storage Units with Storage.com
As you’ve seen, environments with predictable humidity and temperature are the perfect solution for storing several specific (and unexpected!) types of possessions. If you’ve read this far and spent some time thinking about why climate controlled storage units might be a good idea for keeping your belongings safe, we’ve done our job right.
Ready to take the next step and find a storage solution for your budget? Just researching and comparing prices? Storage.com can help! Use our search tool to find climate controlled units near you, or take a look at our blog for even more detailed advice.
