Do You Need Climate-Controlled Storage? Yes, You Do
When you move, you likely plan to take your belongings from your old place and put them right in the new place. Sometimes that doesn’t happen, though; you find you need to store the items because your new place isn’t quite ready yet or because you had to move out but are still looking for a new home.
Storage facilities are absolute blessings in these situations, and if you really want to keep things in good shape, you’ll look for a storage facility that has climate control. This protects your belongings from Chicago weather and even helps add a little security.
Temperature and Humidity Can Damage Your Belongings
What you need to put into storage isn’t junk—it’s stuff you eventually want in your home again. That means you want to keep it in great shape.
Temperatures that are too hot or too cold can damage your belongings. Heat can melt items like old records and plastic goods, while cold can freeze electronics and drain battery life. If you’ve got some portable electronics with rechargeable batteries, for example, you could find their batteries don’t work as well after time in a freezing storage unit.
Humidity is another problem. Mold can grow on boxes and furniture, pests can invade, and even wood furniture can swell up.
The North Carolina Museum of History says that wood can actually get used to the levels of humidity in one area, such as your home, and then swell up in response to being moved to another spot where the humidity might be different. Imagine what it’s like going from your air-conditioned home to a hot and humid storage unit—that furniture would be in real trouble without climate control.
Climate Control Restricts Temperatures to a Range
Climate control is not the same as having an air-conditioned or heated unit. In fact, climate-controlled units can still seem a bit warm or cool. But the HVAC system in the building is set to keep those warm or cool temperatures to just that: not too hot and not too cold. Climate control isn’t so much about comfort as it is about controlling extremes.
Because this system is running constantly, it also helps keep excess humidity in check. As with a home or office that’s got climate control, a very humid day can still result in the interior of the building feeling a bit more humid. But even then, it’s not going to be nearly as bad as it is outside.
These Storage Facilities Have a Secure Environment With Better Loading Conditions
Some storage facilities owned by a moving company can look like those owned by private storage companies, with individual units. Some are more like warehouse space, however, with all items in rows on shelves. These warehouse spaces are kept securely locked up to keep everything safe, of course, but look for specific features for enhanced security, including things like surveillance systems and alarms.
How do these warehouse-style storage spaces control the environment? Some facilities have interior loading docks that protect both the items in the truck and in the warehouse from outside weather. Smaller trucks can simply back all the way in and be fully enclosed in the warehouse once the outer doors are closed.
Rather than opening up a huge warehouse door and letting all that temperate air out, everything is done inside, reducing the chances of hot or cold air flowing in. You can’t prevent all air movement, obviously, but these warehouses can reduce the temperature exchange that accompanies opening a door.
If you’re moving and need to store your stuff for a while, place it in climate-controlled storage. Affordable Moving Co. in Chicago has climate-controlled storage for reasonable prices. Protect your belongings from the fickle nature of Chicago weather and place them in a climate-controlled environment for better storage.