What Are Air Conditioned Storage Units For?

air conditioned storage unit clear air humidityOne of the most common questions we receive here at Albuquerque Self Storage is in regards to one type of self storage: air conditioned storage units. While the service is not offered anywhere, there is a genuine purpose for just such a kind of storage unit. Often people do not understand why they would want to have a climate controlled storage space. For many they don’t! Regardless, as we close out the year, we decided to give a rundown on air conditioned storage units and their uses.

Air Conditioned Storage Units

Climate control storage units, temperature controlled, air conditioned storage units, there are a number of terms and they are used somewhat interchangeably (though they are not synonymous). Climate control and temperature control are different in that climate works to manage not just temperature but also humidity as well. These two levels will determine moisture in the storage space.

Air conditioned facilities with high quality HVAC set ups will keep both humidity and temperature in check.

What Needs Climate Control?

Not every item needs a rigorous climate control regime. Most items are fine to be placed in a drive up self-storage unit and left till they are needed again.

Some items that need the climate control are:

  • Art
    • Paintings and other types of fine art can have a rough go of it in any extreme temperatures. The change can cause the painting canvas and frame to shrink or expand. If the environment is humid, mildew or mold can grow and ruin the piece. Keep these items in a space set to 60-75 degree Fahrenheit.
  • Certain Fabrics
    • Some delicate fabrics are also sensitive to the moisture/temperature levels. Antique toys, clothes, upholstered furniture can grow mildew or mold in humid conditions. Keep the unit between 35-75 Fahrenheit and at most 55% humidity. If the fabrics are not a part of a larger whole, storing them with tissue paper can help maintain them.
  • Paper Items
    • Magazines, comics, books, and photographs all have a tough time in extreme temperatures and humidity. They can yellow, or warp. To avoid damage, keep the thermostat set again between 35 and 75 degree and less than 35% humidity is the absolute best for storage. Keep them away from light is you want to prevent fading.
  • Electronics
    • So much of what we own are electronic in nature these days. If we don’t store these properly we risk losing them entirely and that can be an expensive replacement. Computers, cameras, speaker equipment and more can be corroded and mold take root in a humid environment. Keep them off the ground, and store at 50 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity at 30-60% for best practices.
  • Discs and Records
    • While you are in there storing your speaker gear, take a look at your media situation. Vinyl discs don’t take well to humidity and high temperatures, optical discs (CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays) the same. Keep all of these stored at 65 to 70 degrees and humidity around 45%
  • Metals
    • Metals react poorly to moisture, go figure! Copper goes green, iron rusts and silver goes black! To keep your metals in tip top shape, keep the temperature at 35-75 degrees Fahrenheit and nice between 35-55%. Keep all of it off the ground to go the extra mile.
  • Wood
    • We mentioned antique furniture before, but any antique items made of wood (including instruments) do not tend to take well to conditions that fluctuate. The temperature should stay around 55 to 85 at the highest. Humidity no more than 50% to keep mold from growing and wood rot from destroying your furniture.  Before tossing them into storage, clean them up and oil them down to see them lasting.

If you have any of those listed items (and several more! If you are concerned about any particular item be sure to investigate it and speak to your storage professionals) then looking for an air conditioned storage unit is going to be a high priority. The whole point of storage is to make sure when the time comes the item in question is usable!

That will do it from us for 2017, from all of us here at Albuquerque Self Storage, Happy New Years! We will see you in 2018!

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