Potential Problems That Heated Storage Can Protect Belongings Against

A type of storage unit that offers cooled and heated space to store your belongings can help protect against issues such as environmental damage to your items. Here are a few of the potential problems that you can avoid when you choose a heated and cooled storage unit.

1. Expansion and contraction

When a material expands and contracts too often or too violently, it can be subject to cracking. This is especially a concern with materials such as wood. When you store belongings in a place that doesn't have a controlled temperature, your items may experience large temperature swings that could encourage expansion and contraction.

Wood is also vulnerable to swelling and shrinking from humidity changes. Since warm air can support more moisture overall than cold air, frequent changes in temperature could lead to humidity changes as well. So you'll want to choose a heated storage unit to avoid these temperature and humidity swings and minimize any expansion and contraction in your items.

2. Freeze damage

In some extreme cases, an unheated unit could get cold enough that items inside freeze or cold enough that frost forms on them. Items that contain liquid (such as snow globes) and items that contain batteries are two examples of things that can be especially susceptible to freeze damage. 

However, many other items can be damaged by frost or freezes as well. So if you live in an area that experiences freezes (whether these cold conditions occur fall through spring or whether they're limited to wintertime), you should take special care to choose heated storage. 

3. Condensation problems

In a place that's not climate-controlled, condensation can gather on the inside of a wall when outside temperatures are cooler than inside temperatures. This condition isn't limited to wintertime; it could occur year-round when the sun goes down since the enclosed space in a non-climate-controlled building can cool more slowly than the outdoor air.

If storage boxes are placed near the wall, this could mean that condensation gathers on the inside of the box as well, causing moisture damage. Or, the condensation on the wall may encourage mildew to grow in the unit, which could affect your belongings. Choosing a heated and cooled storage unit can help you avoid this type of issue.

4. Compounded damage

If something in your storage unit gets damaged, it could end up damaging your other items as well. For instance, a leaking battery could damage anything its corrosive liquid touches. A liquid-filled snow globe that bursts could cause moisture damage to wood or clothing items. So by choosing a heated storage unit, you may be sparing not only those items that are directly affected by cold or humidity but also the items around them.

As you can see, heated and cooled storage units can be a big help to keep your items safe and in great shape until you need them again.