Cool Climates: Is It Worth Getting a Climate Controlled Storage Unit?

Partly due to shifts in work and office trends during the pandemic, the self-storage industry has been growing. That also is due to the convenience it affords for stowing business or personal items for varying periods.

If you are considering using a self-storage unit, you may be wondering about some of the bells and whistles you can select and whether the added costs are worth it. This includes climate control features.

Fortunately, whether you should select climate control for a storage unit depends on only a few factors. The information below lays out the benefits of climate control and some considerations that will determine if it can help protect your cherished items.

Climate Control Basics

Climate-controlled storage units can protect your items from extreme hot and cold temperatures. Since a climate-controlled storage unit must circulate air, the unit always has fresh air inside it.

And because they must be sealed off to ensure temperature regulation, they are less susceptible to outside dust, debris, rodents, and insects. You can have more confidence that the items inside will be in the condition you left them.

When You Need Climate Control

The short answer is to whether you should get a climate-controlled unit depends on what you plan to store in it. A few major categories of products that can be impacted by extreme temperatures or humidity include:

• Furniture
• Artwork
• Wine
• Leather goods
• Photographs
• Books
• Important paper documents
• Collectibles
• Wood products
• Instruments
• Medical Supplies

Many, but not all, temperature-controlled units feature humidity control as well. If you live in a very humid or dry climate, be sure to ask about this feature.

Very high humidity can trigger mold growth and other problems. Special units can remove 55 percent or more of humidity. An overly dry environment could damage things like furniture, wine, or books as well. Humidity-controlled units can ensure the right amount of moisture is in the air to protect your belongings.

General weather conditions are another thing to consider when deciding on climate controlled storage containers. If you live in a very hot and humid climate and the summer is approaching, even short durations in an uncontrolled unit could damage your items. If you live in a milder climate, short-term storage in a standard unit may be okay, especially during the spring and fall months.

Climate Control Costs

Climate-controlled storage unit costs will vary depending on where you live. But a good ballpark is that you can expect to pay between 25 and 50 percent more for a regulated container than a standard unit. Most reputable companies will advertise storage unit prices based on different features, so you can know going in the differences in pricing.

Find a Storage Unit Near You

Now that you have an idea of the benefits of a climate-controlled storage unit, you can decide if that feature is worth the added cost. Remember that, if you are storing items that are valuable or otherwise special to you, climate control can protect them from a host of threats.

We hope this information on climate-controlled storage units was helpful to you. If so, be sure to check out some of our other posts on lifestyle, home, business, entertainment, and many other topics.