How to protect your storage against floods

While water is the source of life, it is also a great force of destruction. One of the things that can get in its way is your belongings in storage units. As a matter of fact, water is the second-highest cause of property loss for storage users. For this reason, if you plan on storing some goods, it is important that you are familiar with the ways you can protect your storage against floods. Even if you have rented some of the best storage units over at movers Gloucester MA, you still have to do your part to ensure maximum security.

If you happen to find your ideal storage unit in an area that has a high risk of flooding, there are a number of factors you need to be considerate about. Still, keep in mind that even a lower risk is not a guarantee of immunity. So, once you have established whether your storage is susceptible to flooding, it is time to ensure your belongings will be able to endure prolonged exposure to floodwater.

Protect your storage against floods by finding a proper storage unit

To start off, you want to find a storage unit that is composed of flood damage-resistant materials. These include brick, asbestos-cement boards, and concrete. Additionally, if you find a structure with a waterproof mortar, you are golden. If you happen to live in a coastal area, you want to make sure that materials can endure exposure to seawater.

You also want to have a storage unit that is climate-controlled and upper-front. This setting will protect the items inside from any rising water, and shield them from moisture due to humidity or temperature fluctuations.

In case water finds its way inside

Even if you are super cautious and take all the precautionary steps, bad things tend to happen. Life has a way of functioning like that, so try not to get to upset. As a matter of fact, you should count on the possibility of water infiltrating your storage unit. With this in mind, you ought to prepare your belongings so that they are able to survive at least 72 hours of floodwater exposure. Proper protection makes all the difference between minimal and severe damage.

Now, there is a number of ways in which you can protect your items. For smaller belongings, a sturdy shell against the wall will do just fine in keeping them away from water. Apart from that, shelving allows you to stay organized and retrieve your items from the storage unit with greater ease.

As for bigger items like furniture, a simple shelf will not quite cut it. Still, keeping them off the ground is important. This is where pallets come handy. Although not as high as a shelf, those six or seven inches will still make a difference. By keeping your stored goods elevated, pallets allow air to circulate around them, further blocking the moisture from accumulating. It will result in your belongings keeping their pristine conditions.

Regarding more delicate possessions

Just as you would ask your long-distance movers Massachusetts to take special care of your more fragile and delicate items, so should you pay extra attention when protecting them from flood and moisture.

You would want to encase these items with plastic sheets, rubber, and/or furniture blankets. You can find these in most home improvement stores. These waterproof materials will minimize any resulting damage if floodwater surpasses the pallets and shelves. For easier location when you need them, find seethrough bags, and label the boxes where you will store them away.

Addressing an additional threat

In order to fully protect your storage against floods, you have to be considerate of the additional threats. That way you can keep your peace of mind, knowing that your stored belongings are truly safe and sound. One of these we have already briefly mentioned. As you probably know, with water comes moisture and prolonged exposure to a high concentration of moisture goes hand in hand with the flood. High moisture content in a contained space such as your storage unit can rust metals, develop mold, and corrode structural alloys. You can imagine how much havoc this can wreak. So, avoiding this can of damage altogether is a good idea.

However, with that said, you should keep in mind that most flood insurance policies do not cover moisture-related damage. This means that protection against the aftermath of the flood is solely up to you. So, apart from using those waterproof materials we suggested in order to protect your possessions, you also want to consider the following:

• making sure the unit’s humidity level remains below 50% at all times. Although it sounds super complicated, this is actually fairly easy with the use of climate-controlled storage.
• placing bags of charcoal throughout the storage unit. It will suck in all the moisture from the air, and spare your belongings the trouble of doing so. Just make sure to replace them every 30-60 days, depending on the condition in your storage.
• checking for leaks. While the big ones may be easy to spot, it’s those little ones that will give you all the headaches of the world. This is especially important if you have an outdoor storage unit.
• using a vapor barrier to damp-proof your storage space. A polyethylene plastic or foil should go on the warm side of the storage wall and block outdoor moisture. Although it will not exactly protect your storage against floods, this flexible membrane should also find its place beneath the floor. It will prevent moisture from the ground to seep inside, and further protect your possessions. You can find this vapor barrier in most hardware stores.