One Material That Requires Climate Controlled Storage Over the Rest

If you're tight on space in your current self-storage unit and need more climate controlled storage space, it's wise to either upgrade your unit or rent another one.  However, if it's out of your budget to upgrade and expand, there's one material you need to keep stored in your current storage, especially if your basement or attic at home is susceptible to fluctuating temperatures.

That material is wood.

Unlike steel and other hard materials, wood is made of compounds that are less dense.  This is evident from its splintery composition and lighter weight.  A good way to think about the composition of the two materials is to ask yourself, "What would happen if I broke a wooden board/steel beam across my knee?"  Obviously, the board would break – not the steel beam.

This same principle holds true for when you're deciding what to put in your climate controlled storage unit.  For instance, if you have a cherry wood dining table and four matching chairs, it's wiser to store these in your unit than engine components, sail boat rods, metal desks, etc.  They can survive in colder, hotter climates while wood can't.

According to Fine Furniture Design (ffdm.com), it's best to store wood products and furniture in temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  Also, you want the average humidity level to be around %50. 

"If you are away from home for extended periods of time, try to maintain temperatures and humidity levels that are kind to furniture," says Fine Furniture Design.  With metal, these strict temperatures and humidity levels are hardly ever a concern, which is why you should leave your metal belongings at home to increase space for highly sensitive wood items: cupboards, vanities, kitchen tables and chairs you plan on giving away or using in the future.

Bottom Line: If you're renting a new self-storage unit or need to relocate items from you existing one, make sure wood products receive top priority.

Beware of Different Kinds of Climate Controlled Storage

Climate controlled storage is different for all storage locations. 

All it means, generally speaking, is that the climate within the storage area is controlled.  How much it is controlled and what controls it are specifics that are often left unsaid. That is why you need to ask your storage company these exact questions – how much? and what? – before you invest in climate controlled storage.

The fact is: all mini storage companies in Richmond and the rest of the U.S. don't hold themselves to the same standards as Extra Attic.  For instance, a company can claim they offer climate controlled storage and only control the temperature by a few degrees.   In the winter, maybe they control the temperature in units by keeping indoor temperatures at 33 degrees Fahrenheit – just above freezing.  And maybe in the summer they keep indoor temperatures at 90 degrees.

Surprisingly, this is what the average self-storage company considers climate control storage: keeping temps just above freezing in the winter and just below scorching in the summer. 

To protect your stored belongings, though, you need a self-storage company that stands firmly behind their claim.  As the term "climate controlled storage become" broader and left open to more interpretation of meaning, more storage companies will start abusing the term.

At Extra Attic, we believe that storage companies can only use the term if they provide storage locations with actual temperature control. 

Here are some questions to ask your storage company before picking one over another:

- What are the minimum and maximum temperatures of the units?

- How is air delivered that cools and warms the units?

- Are the minimum and maximum temperatures safe for the objects I'm storing?

These are great questions to ask that offer great insight into what kind of climate control the company has.  If the climate control is illegitimate or unqualified to store our belongings, you'll learn during the questioning process.