16 March 2022
The security of stored items is an increasingly important criterion when choosing a self storage warehouse. This trend is clearly visible for instance in Japan. In the past, customers have been choosing cheaper warehouses which were close to their home, whilst now they prefer protected facilities with temperature and humidity regulation systems[1].
By entrusting their goods, tenants want to be sure that their property will remain intact throughout the duration of the lease. You can guarantee this to them in several ways.
Boxes insurance
The easiest way to ensure a good night’s sleep for tenants is to insure the equipment of the boxes.
The burden of insurance is often transferred onto the shoulders of tenants who can conclude an insurance contract on their own. Many of them do not do this to avoid additional costs. However, it is easy to imagine that, let’s say, when a box is flooded, tenants will blame the owner of the warehouse for the resulting damage and will not use their services anymore. Not to mention the black PR around the issue.
Therefore, it seems good practice to automatically cover the rented storage spaces with insurance. Obviously, insurance is associated with an increase in the rental price, but the overall price is usually more attractive than when concluding an individual contract. The owner of a self storage warehouse is able to negotiate good insurance conditions, referring to the number of transactions.
Terms and conditions vary by insurance package, but typically include events such as theft, fire, and water damage. Thanks to this, the landlord can feel safer, knowing that in the event of a random event, they will receive compensation for damage up to the amount specified in the GTC (General Terms and Conditions) of the insurance contract.
The storage conditions
An entrepreneur who wants to ensure high quality of their services takes care of optimal conditions in the warehouse. The necessary minimum is to keep the boxes clean and dry.
Too high humidity in rooms will cause rot and corrosion of stored items, which may be irreparably damaged. It is a threat e.g. for documents, upholstered furniture, antiques. On the other hand, large fluctuations in temperature will harm e.g. cosmetics, canned food and drinks, etc.
For self storage warehouses that offer so-called “open-air” containers, for obvious reasons, it is a challenge to ensure optimal conditions. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity, associated with the change of seasons or weather, limit the range of items that can be stored in such a warehouse without risk.
Heating and ventilation systems
Maintaining a constant temperature and air humidity in warehouses is possible thanks to heating and ventilation systems.
The best conditions allow to achieve solutions with the use of mechanical ventilation. For less demanding customers, gravity ventilation will be sufficient. As a result, the warehouse can maintain a constant temperature and control the level of air humidity.
The optimal temperature for storing things in self storage warehouses is in the range from 12 ° C to 26 ° C. Such conditions stabilize the relative humidity and ensure safe storage of even delicate items (antiques, electronic equipment, photos, etc.)[2].
Sorption drying systems are also a good investment that allows you to reduce the cost of heating self-service warehouses by max. 75%. Such a microclimate allows to protect the things in the box against fungi, mold, corrosion or insects (e.g. moths)[3].
The owners of self storage “open air” containers deal with the problem of humidity and temperature fluctuations by installing low ventilation and water drainage systems in containers, which, at least to a small extent, regulate the conditions inside the container. Unfortunately, the efficiency of this type of systems is not the best.
Alarm systems and monitoring
The last way to ensure the safety of stored items and the entire facility is monitoring and alarm systems. This is extremely important especially in unmanned warehouses.
The recommendation of specific security measures depends on the individual needs of specific locations including:
• electronic gates and electronic box locks,
• registration of inputs and outputs,
• alarms, including individual alarms for boxes,
• monitoring and physical security of the facility,
• motion, smoke, temperature detectors, etc.
A way to increase the security of a self storage warehouse can also be the use of the Savvy Lockers system, which allows tenants to maintain full control over the rented boxes (including a register of lockers opening, safe electronic locks, preview of activities in the boxes from the application level).
Provide a good night’s sleep
If you want to enjoy the trust of your customers and build a good relationship with them for years, the security of your warehouse and items stored in boxes must become your absolute priority. Investing in tools and systems that protect the contents of the boxes will pay off for satisfied customers who will stay with you for longer.
[1] Raport FEDESSA 2021.
[2] https://safestoragedepot.com/climate-controlled-vs-climate-controlled-storage-space-me/
[3] https://www.munters.com/pl/industries/storage-preservation–archives/self-storage/
