With its multipurpose storage applications, self storage is ideal for personal and commercial storage. Storage facilities across the world are within reach of most towns and city dwellers, who use self storage for many purposes.
What can be stored in a self storage unit far outweighs what can’t, and it’s good to know exactly what can’t be stored in one just in case you do the wrong thing.
There are special reasons for limiting what can be stored in self storage for the simple reason that they are deemed unfit or unsafe to be stored in one. They may be flammable, toxic, or dangerous and as it is the duty and responsibility of the self storage facility to look after the clients’ goods, they must place a ban on certain materials to safeguard them.
Self storage is perfect for the storage of household appliances like fridges and stoves, furniture, and seasonally used goods, and it is also suited to business storage. Documents and archives are safe and kept in good condition in self storage units.
Stop & Store Penrith has a range of unit sizes. All three in the range are large enough to accommodate the volume of a small apartment. This makes the storage area large enough for a couple’s belongings to be stored when they are traveling, moving, or needing extra space.
When signing up for storage unit rental, the occupant should be aware of what is prohibited from being stored in a self storage unit.
What Not to Store in Self Storage
The list of disallowed items that you can’t store in self storage is unlikely to vary from one storage facility to the next, but renters are advised to check the contract anyway, just to be sure. You wouldn’t want to transgress the local rules, so it’s better to be safe.
After all, it’s for the good and security of your stuff. It will only be your fault if you bring something flammable into the storage unit and something goes wrong. Let’s look at them:
Food, especially Perishables
Besides having a shelf life, which means that it will go bad, food also attracts vermin. So as a rule, food is a no-no when it comes to self storage. It could be argued that in some cases the storage of cans will be ok, but still, it’s food, and rather don’t take the chance.
Imagine if perishable food were to be inadvertently left in a self storage rental unit for a while. The stench would be unbearable, not to mention the infestation of worms and other pests. It also puts the rest of the stored items at risk.
Items of Value
While having excellent security, a self storage unit is not the place to store valuables. The reason is that there are better places to store them, which are more compact and individually designed for those specific purposes. Here we are talking about safety deposit boxes that would be found in the likes of a bank or even a safe at home. This would include jewellery, cash or currency, and any precious metals. Documents that are important like insurance policies and passports too are best suited for safety boxes rather than in a self storage unit.
Pets and Plants
While some may be tempted to use the extra space that self storage offers to keep plants or pets, they are not allowed for obvious reasons. It is cruel to the pet, while plants simply do not survive in a unit that has no access to sunlight and is short on adequate oxygen.
With the many uses of storage units, unfortunately being an additional living space isn’t one of them. So, wherever the storage facility may be the answer will be the same: no pets, no plants.
Dangers of Combustible and Toxic Products
Irrespective of whether the renter chooses to take insurance-which most storage facilities encourage- a self storage company will take the highest level of precautions against any possibility of fire or contamination occurring at the self storage facility. For this reason, the following are disallowed.
Ammunition, Firearms & Fireworks
Naturally, any materials that could endanger the contents of a self storage unit, and the storage facility itself are prohibited. These would include any form of firearms, ammunition, and fireworks.
Flammable Materials
Starting with items such as aerosols that are easy to overlook yet should never be in storage units, all other more obvious combustible materials should never go into self storage. This includes the fuel in your lawnmower, which could also be easily overlooked.
Apart from that, propane and gas or oil are also forbidden, as they could cause ignition and fire inside the storage unit. Many storage units also don’t allow paint and oil, so check the contact’s wording on these items.
Hazardous and Toxic Materials
A storage facility disallows anything hazardous and toxic. In these categories are pesticides, fertilizers and cleaning liquids, and other chemicals. They may become unstable during storage, causing unforeseen problems, which also could result in damage to the items being stored in the self storage unit.
This would extend to small businesses that may wish to store products for resale. Even if they are new and come directly from a manufacturer, most storage facilities are likely not to allow these materials from being stored in a self storage unit.
Non-operational Vehicles
DIYers may be tempted to do up an old car as a hobby. While storing the old car in self storage may be one of the better options for this, check with the storage facility if this is allowed. In some cases, non-operational vehicles are disallowed.
Get the Detail from the Self Storage Facility
When in doubt about whether something can be stored in self storage, ask first. If items fall into the disallowed categories above, the chances are that you won’t be able to store them in a unit.
When you want to enquire about Stop & Store, just call us and we will be happy to advise whether something is allowed or not.
So, if you are looking for a storage rental, please contact us at Stop & Store Penrith
Or call us on 01768 800291.