You may have had the unfortunate experience of finding some of your clothes or old photographs have been damaged while in storage. This may have happened in the basement or the attic. Whether the damage has been caused by water or pests it’s demoralizing when this happens. It’s a common occurrence however and it’s a sign that you could have taken greater care with the way you have stored these items.
We at Stop & Store place the protection of our clients’ possessions while in self-storage as one of our highest priorities. Clients entrust us with their valuables and it is our duty to look after them. So much so that we place pest control, and the storage control measures we put in place on top of our list in importance.
Whether it’s a cupboard, basement, garage, or attic you choose to store things in, they are all places that attract pests. Some, like an attic or basement, could also be subject to damp. As these places may be left unattended for long periods, they are sure to be ideal places for an infestation to happen without you knowing. Next thing is that your stored items are damaged.
At Stop & Store, we have up to date pest controls in place as it is our responsibility to provide a secure, dry, and pest-free environment for self-storage of our clients’ goods.
Of course, one of the main reasons self-storage units are at risk for a pest infestation is because operators usually have little control over what’s brought into the units. We are fully aware that pests may come at any time, as the continuous process of storing and removing makes these activities susceptible to stowed away pests coming into the facility.
Be aware of items that are attractive to pests, such as food, live plants, and even bags or boxes of paper goods.
Protect Damage from Pests
The risk we carry is that the owner may have brought goods in for storage in packaging that already contains the pest. As we have little control of what is brought into the unit, we thought it important to explain the ramifications of this and how to prevent this from happening. Even when plants, food, or the paper is brought into a storage unit, there is a chance they contain a pest threat to the stored products.
We also are aware that the smallest hole, crack, or opportunity for an ant or mouse could give them access to a storage unit. Therefore, we are ultra-aware of the maintenance of our units to ensure that it is always pest-proof.
Specific Threats during Self-Storage
Certain types of pests are more likely to infest self-storage units and should be given special consideration.
- Mice and other rodents: Besides the mess from droppings, rodents can do a lot of damage as they love chewing most types of materials and nesting in stored things. Not only that they reproduce at a rapid rate, and soon the problem is amplified out of all proportion.
- Gypsy moths come from the trees in the outside environment and can infest indoor places when their eggs hatch and the larvae crawl through cracks. They can cause a lot of mess from their feeding habits
- Fish months love dark places and cause real damage to some of the things you want the most like old books, documents, or photographs.
- Bed bugs are something to look out for even though they are hard to see when they are hidden in mattresses, furniture, or clothes and are quite mobile. They are also very resilient and live for long periods without much to sustain them, meaning they could easily proliferate in storage.
The physical conditions of good storage are also important as conditions of moisture and excessive heat provide threats to the stored items. Dampness can cause mould and rot which will cause materials to decay while heat provides a good environment for the breeding of pests.
At Stop & Store, all these threats are controlled through pest-controlled measures and regular visible inspections around the facility. Our storage units are customed designed to ensure there is no damp and while not climate controlled, they are cool and offer optimum conditions for storage.
Importance of Packaging
It’s particularly important to highlight the importance of cleanliness of the goods you intend to store and the way they should be packaged.
Before packing into any outside container,
- Ensure furniture appliances and clothes are clear of dust and food particles.
- Do a hot wash of any clothing or linen materials.
- Don’t store any plants or food items that could harbour pests.
- Pack your goods securely in the appropriate packaging, putting them in plastic before going into a box.
- The use of mothballs is encouraged while cinnamon sticks of citrus peels are a good deterrent for the likes of fish moths.
Stop & Store Fareham has a resource centre for packaging supplies. Customers can rent packaging from us and return it after the goods have been successfully placed into the storage unit. We recommend that you avoid weak or used boxes such as grocery boxes as they could be compromised already. By this, they could collapse or be infested with pests without you knowing it.
We also provide packaging to protect your possessions when in transport such as bubble wrap, sealing tape, and their dispensers, clothes and mattress covers, and as well as plastic bins. These are easy to move around as they are fitted with wheels: a bonus to save you a backache.
If you would like to store your goods in cardboard, we recommend new double-walled corrugated boxes. Special archival boxes, which are designed not to leach are great for storing documents, clothes, photographs, or paintings.
Gives us a call if you are in doubt about what packing to use. Please pop into our resource center during working hours.
Help us when you visit your self-storage unit and you notice signs of an infestation, contact the facility manager immediately and help to eliminate the invasion promptly.
Conveniently located in the Fareham Shopping Centre, in the heart of the town, with easy access to load and unload your goods, Stop and Store is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm.
Tel: 01329 556174