Whether you’re planning to prepare for a move, decluttering, or just need to remove household items temporarily or for an extended period, storage will come in handy. Standard storage will most likely meet your needs. However, these are not the only needs of your belongings. Once you’ve found the size and storage location that works for you, check if it’s climate controlled. Too hot, cold, or humid weather can harm home appliances. In this situation, the chances of damage are higher. This is why certain household items require climate controlled storage.
Why opt for climate controlled storage?
If you need storage space, you need to know whether it is necessary to have climate controlled storage or you can choose standard storage for your belongings. Your choice should be based on the following:
- storage usage period
- weather conditions
- value of household items
How the length of the storage usage period will affect your choice
Sometimes storage needs are short-term. In a situation where storage is rented to prepare for a move with residential movers Los Angeles offers, a usage period of one month is sufficient. The chances of damage to your belongings in storage are lesser than in the case of long-term storage needs. So, if you plan to rent the storage for a long time, it is important to ensure it is climate-controlled.
Weather conditions mostly influence the need for climate-controlled storage
If your storage needs come at a time of year with high or excessively low temperatures, you should not consider renting storage in Los Angeles that is not climate-controlled. If the temperature is high or very low, household items will be among the first to be damaged. Also, standard storage is completely unsuitable for you if you live in a place with high humidity.
High-value household items require climate-controlled storage
People store various household appliances. However, it is not the same if you leave household appliances of low and high value in storage. Home appliances such as toasters, grills, mixers, or vacuum cleaners don’t require special conditions. But, if the value of the household items is higher, you will certainly consider renting climate-controlled storage.
Which items require temperature-controlled storage?
Whether it is high or low temperature or high humidity, you must protect these household items by storing them in climate-controlled storage:
- washing machine
- dishwasher
- oven
- fridge
- air-conditioner
- electronics devices
Such storage provides ideal temperatures of 55 to 85 degrees F and 55% humidity. Considering the prices of such units, you should know that the prices of standard and climate-conditioned facilities are almost equal. That’s why you should focus on choosing a quality storage facility to keep your household items safe.
Washing machine
Since water is often trapped in the confined space of the washing machine, damage will occur if it is not completely cleaned before storing at low temperatures. The ice that forms due to low temperatures will lead to the bursting of pumps or hoses. Also, water retention, as well as the impact of moisture on metal parts, will lead to rusting and corrosion.
Dishwasher
The same situation happens with the dishwasher as with the washing machine when the temperature is low. Also, high temperatures can lead to pipes melting and deformation. This will cause minor damage that can increase with repeated use.
Oven
Although all ovens are designed to produce high temperatures, high weather temperatures adversely affect them. In summer, extreme humidity is common. Moisture can cause the oven to rust. The cold also has an adverse effect since the rubber parts of the oven can crack from low temperatures.
Refrigerator
When outside temperatures become extremely cold, parts of your refrigerator can freeze. The coils that help keep the refrigerator’s interior cold will lose their cooling ability due to freezing. Therefore if you decide to leave your fridge in a storage facility instead of moving it with the help of movers Sherman Oaks has to offer, make sure to find a temperature-controlled one. This way, your fridge will stay safe, and you will have plenty of time to decide what to do with it.
Air – Conditioner
Although part of your AC unit is outside, bad weather conditions can adversely affect it. Wet weather will cause metal parts to corrode. The most common mistake is to put a plastic cover over the metal part of the unit, as this leads to the formation of corrosion caused by moisture retention. Protection is essential to prevent dust from entering, but you should never use a plastic cover or garbage bag.
Electronics devices
Electronic devices under the influence of moisture can also corrode. For electronics, cooler weather is more favorable than warmer weather. However, if extremely cold weather occurs, frostbite occurs. LCD screens contain liquid, and at very low temperatures, it freezes. This means that TVs, laptops, and some computer screens can freeze at low temperatures. This negative impact also affects batteries, motors, disk drives, and chargers. Aluminum, which is most often coated with cables for electricity transmission, is subject to expansion at high temperatures. This will eventually lead to a decrease in work efficiency.
How to find the perfect storage facility
When choosing a storage unit, you must ensure that it is safe, considering that your belongings will be there for a certain period. However, it is not only safety that matters. Storage must be clean and spacious enough to meet your needs. As we explained, household items storage must also be climate-controlled. There are plenty of moving and storage Los Angeles companies in your area. But how to choose the best one, the one that will fully satisfy your needs and provide you with the perfect storage solution?
- Look at reviews on websites but also on third-party sites that are not directly related to the website of the moving company
- Ask family and friends who have used the storage and if they were satisfied
- Send an inquiry about prices and storage conditions to a couple of moving companies
Delicate household items require climate-controlled storage
As you can see from all of the above if you need to use storage, make sure it’s climate-controlled. You won’t pay more, or the difference will be insignificant, and the protection is more than precious. Extreme weather conditions and temperature fluctuations can seriously damage household items. Know that you know which household items require climate-controlled storage, all you need to do is find a facility that suits your needs the best!