Contemplating Climate Controlled Storage? Here Are Nine Items That Need That Special Care

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When it comes time to store your valuables, collectibles and other favorites, you may have many options, but which is going to take the best care of that antique chair, stamp collection or signed oil painting? Should you stuff the basement, attic or closets with everything you're not using at the moment? Chances are good that your fine items require more TLC than your home can offer. Here are nine things that really benefit from climate controlled storage unit at a facility like North Star Mini Storage.

Important Documents

Tax returns are invaluable and should be kept safe and dry in a climate controlled environment for a period of three years (the length of time the IRS has to audit you). Left in a box in your basement, they can become faded and discolored.

Wood Furniture

While natural wood is elegant and beautiful, when exposed to moisture, humidity and variations of temperature, it unfortunately may warp, crack or even begin to rot. Nourish the piece prior to putting it in storage with a fine polish or oil, cover it and wherever possible, disassemble to minimize possible damage.

Seasonal Appliances

You have no need for your air-conditioning unit throughout winter, likewise for small heating appliances in summer, but when the temperature is right, you depend on these items for your family's comfort. Appliances benefit from climate control themselves, as any kind of moisture in the air seeps into the electrical components, rusting parts and damaging wires. Other big ticket items like flat-screens and home audio equipment should also be stored where climate is controlled or you risk rendering the product useless.

Leather Goods

Leather breathes with environmental temps, shriveling up in cold and unraveling or expanding in warmth. Moisture, too, will cause discoloration or even mold growth, meaning anything you value made of leather will not last without climate control.

Valuable Artwork

You never want too much light, humidity, moisture or temperature variations damaging your favorite or valuable pieces: Store them where they'll be safe when you're not enjoying them, and be sure to double check security at your chosen self-storage facility.

Any Musical Instrument

Wood, strings and even a brass trumpet are all highly susceptible to fluctuations of Mother Nature, because moisture can cause corrosion, warping and breakage. Strings inside of a piano or on the outside of a violin could snap, destroying the instrument or requiring expensive repairs.

A Stamp, Coin or Comic Book Collection

While you may not have a stamp worth 9.5 million dollars in your collection, (that's the record price a British Guiana penny stamp sold for at auction!), you do want to keep them out of damp or humid areas just the same. Stamps will curl and even stick together when exposed to extreme conditions.

Photographs

Despite the digital age, you likely have memories preserved in photographs, but they can literally melt together if the temperature climbs too high. Slip your important and treasured photos in an album, wrap it in a plastic bag or covering and preserve indefinitely in a climate controlled self-storage unit.

Seasonal or Precious Clothing

A wedding dress, baptism or christening gown will inevitably succumb to the humid or moist environment it's left in. The same may go for seasonal clothing, depending on the extremes of your local climate. Once mold and mildew set into clothing, it's a total loss.

You could cut corners and skimp on taking care of the things you love but aren't using for the time being, but that may compromise them over the long run. There's really no point in even packing something up and carefully stashing it in the basement if the moisture down there is going to ruin it! Knowing where to store your possessions will ensure that you have them to enjoy for a long time to come, while doing anything less may mean losing them forever.

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2 October 2015