How to Stop Mold from Getting into Storage Units

Renting storage units can be an excellent way to take the stress off of moving, declutter your area, and put away your seasonal items. Of course, the last thing you want to worry about when renting a storage unit is the presence of mold on your stored things. Fortunately, you can take several preventative measures to stop mold from entering your storage units and contaminating your belongings.

Only Store Items That are Completely Dry

The first cause of mold in storage units is when people store slightly damp items. Moisture causes mold and allows it to thrive and spread throughout your storage units if you’re not careful about how you store your stuff. For example, damp towels, wet clothes, and old pool supplies are fantastic breeding grounds for mold.

Always feel your things before storing them to ensure no moisture is missed. Touching fabric is especially important because the fabric is harder to spot liquid than hard surfaces like wood or glass.

Check Storage Units for Potential Leaks

Before adding your items to your storage units, you should scope out storage units for any wet spots on the floor that can indicate leaks. A leaking ceiling is a surefire way to get your stuff wet and start mold colonies in your storage unit. If you discover any wet spots in the storage unit, you scope out, and then you should let the storage facility so that they can rectify the situation.

It would also be a fantastic idea to check any liquid storage items you have for leakage. For example, cracks that form storage containers are common when moving your items; these cracks could cause your stuff to leak all over your storage units. 

Use Silica Gel to Keep Your Items Safe from Humidity

If you live in an area with lots of heat and water, then it’s likely that you’re going to face some humidity throughout the summer months. Keeping any fiber objects wrapped in an airtight container with silica gel will help you avoid humidity mold in your storage unit. Of course, you can’t prevent humid weather from happening, but you can take measures to ensure that the humid weather doesn’t ruin your belongings. 

Check On Your Storage Unit Occasionally

If you live in an area with stormy or unpredictable weather, you should check on your storage unit at least once a month to ensure no leaks or problems have developed. If you ignore your storage unit for months, you could miss it when a storm causes a hole in your storage unit’s roof and causes leakage. In addition, checking on your storage units frequently allows you to take control of the situation and take measures if water has infiltrated your storage units.

Choose Climate-Controlled Storage Units

Most storage facilities offer climate control like dehumidifiers or air conditioners so that you won’t have to worry about the heat and humidity while you’re away. Climate-controlled storage units are especially ideal for people who store a lot of cloth furniture or clothing because those are the number one places mold likes to form. Fabric is an excellent trap for moisture and can contaminate all of your items if you neglect the problem for too long.

Even if you don’t store a lot of fabric in your storage unit, it would still be best to choose a climate-controlled solution to lean on the side of safety.

Select a Reputable Storage Company

Storage units are excellent and safe ways to protect your stuff while not using them and cut down on your clutter. Following the tips in this article is an excellent way to ensure that your items stay safe while you’re not supervising them.

The best way to keep yourself safe from mold damage is to choose a reputable storage company to hold your possessions. Reputable storage companies offer several solutions that can talk you through the process of preventing mold in your storage units. Speak with a representative of Albuquerque Self Storage today at (505) 294-8884  to choose the best storage unit for you and discuss any concerns.

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