Once you have decided to use a self storage facility to store your belongings the last thing you want is the disappointment that they have suffered damage from pests whilst in storage. Therefore it is important to check on that particular storage facility’s controls that are in place to prevent potential damage.
Even if you store items at home they are not necessarily immune to damage. Areas that we normally use for storage at home include basements, attics or cupboards which are all dark places that may attract pests, but also these areas may tend to be damp. Damp causes mould and mildew which can destroy clothing, and also any documents, photographs, and books. Once you have packed your goods into your storage space at home what normally happens is that it stays there undisturbed for some time. This is when pests can wreak a lot of damage and you may only become aware of it when you need to fetch something out of the self storage faciltiy.
Stop & Store Lowestoft has the philosophy that the safety and protection of your goods is our highest priority while they are entrusted to us. This means that not only do we have stringent security controls, but we also need to have a high standard of pest control in place to ensure that your goods are safe from this sort of damage.
What You Can Do to Keep Your Goods Safe from Pests
There are some steps to take to make sure that you keep pests at bay.
- Keep your house and those areas where you intend storing your extra goods clean. The remnants of any type of food are what most pests are after, so keep your kitchen clean and also ensure that pests cannot find their way into your home.
- Damp spots in the house attracts insects like cockroaches and ants which look for humid, warm areas to shelter. It is worth getting the source of the damp fixed to keep these critters at bay.
- Check for piles of debris in your garden, such as piles of wood. Insects and other types of pests such as rodents love these isolated dark places to breed and from there to move into your house. So it makes sense to get rid of any of these piles of debris to deprive them of a breeding ground.
- Dark places like basements, attics, and cupboards are attractive to pests, so it is important to include these in any cleanup operations you undertake.
- Getting the professional pest controllers in will ensure that you are rid of most pests. After all they are trained to spot potential breeding spots and will treat those swiftly and efficiently.
- Treat pests and vermin when you first notice them so that they don’t develop into a full blown problem as these can cause disease in humans as well as damage your goods.
These tips will help keep pests at bay and by carrying out these steps consistently will ensure that you have a healthy clean house to live in that is free of pests.
Keeping Your Goods Protected in the Self Storage Facility
If you have decided to use a self storage facility such as Stop & Store Lowestoft to keep your belongings, there are steps you can take to minimize bringing in pests with your goods.
Pests are attracted to warm dark places, but also thrive where there is any food, cardboard or paper, plants, or any dirt. Our facility has a maintenance programme to make sure that our environment is as clean as possible, and that the units are completely sealed to prevent anything from getting in.
On the list of items that may not be kept in storage are plants to minimize the risk of pests gaining access this way.
If you are storing a household of furniture that includes kitchen appliances we strongly advise that you make sure there is no left over foods or even dry foods. These will attract pests and even if they are in sealed packets, mice can chew their way through to get to the food.
Make sure that all hoses from fridges, washing machines, freezers, or dishwashers are drained as any moisture that leaks out can cause a certain amount of humidity which will encourage mould and mildew to form.
If you pack your belongings up in cardboard boxes make sure that the boxes are new. Cartons you pick up from the grocery store may already be infested by eggs which will hatch out in the dark of a storage unit. Best of all is to pack your goods in clear plastic cartons. You can see what is in each box and pests cannot gain access to these boxes.
Books and photographs can be extensively damaged by fish moths, leaving those edges that are frayed and pages full of holes. There are insecticides that you can add to the boxes that contain your books and photos and these will keep these precious items safe.
Make sure that any clothing you wish to store is clean and properly dry so the danger of introducing any humidity and moisture this way is minimized.
Mattresses and all bedding can introduce bed bugs into your storage unit which will breed in these conditions. Make sure that bedding is washed on a hot cycle and properly dry to kill any eggs. Clean and vacuum your mattresses to minimize this risk and wrap them in covers that are designed for this purpose.
Stop & Store Lowestoft: The Self Storage Facility You Can Rely On
Our self storage units are clean and dry.
Consider renting packaging from us and returning it when you are finished with it. We also stock packaging materials such as bubble wrap and good quality sealing tape.
We rent out plastic bins on wheels and have a trolley to help you with loading and offloading your belongings.
If you need any further information or advice about packaging or what you can or cannot store in your unit, please contact us.
Please contact us on 01502 580005 for more information. Our office hours are 8am to 6pm.
Stop and Store, 92 Denmark Road, Lowestoft NR32 2EH
Website: www.lowestoftselfstorage.com/