Depending on what you're putting inside a storage facility, you may need different sets of options at various price ranges. Your goods may be inexpensive and just need of a lock and key at an outdoor shed, climate control may be a requirement for some sensitive belongings, or you might need tight, confirmed security for cherished heirlooms. Before looking for the first facility that offers everything when your needs are few, here's an overview of what to look for with self storage facilities.

The Bare Minimum

If you just need to store a few old clothes, furniture, or other objects that aren't worth a thief's time, there are many options available. That said, there are still some standards that you want to maintain to make sure your belongings stay in good shape—otherwise, why not throw them in the trash to begin with?

Low price outdoor storage facilities offer sheds with either pull-down doors or locking panel doors that give you the most basic option of self storage: a black space with a lock. You need to make sure that the storage unit is clean, without too many cracks open to the outside, and pest free. It's not as simple as a visual survey.

If using a draw-down storage room door, make sure that the door comes down into a trench that offers decent closure. These doors aren't usually good enough to keep insects smaller than ants out, but for basic furniture or other items—as long as termites aren't a local problem—the doors are good enough. If the space is too big, you run the risk of rain storms or leaks running into your storage room.

Indoor, Climate-Controlled Facilities

Climate control in storage rooms is important when you're storing items that could be damaged by extreme temperatures or humidity.

Electronics, untreated wood, and paperwork can swell and break apart due to humidity, and certain metals can succumb to corrosion when left in humid spaces for too long. To protect your belongings, the most basic form of climate control should be air conditioning.

Air conditioning regulates temperature, but it also reduces humidity as air cycles through the air conditioning system. More advanced climate control would involve dehumidifiers and specific filters to keep outdoor pollutants out. 

Security Solutions For Self Storage

All self storage facilities can benefit from gates and cameras, but some facility types are inherently more secure than others. Outdoor facilities have less physical security than indoor facilities, and the presence of security personnel is better for each type of facility.

You'll want to confirm whether security personnel working at a security facility are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and how easy it is to enter facility. Ideally, there should be a main entrance that regulates how people enter the facility and a camera system that monitors entry and exits.

It all depends on how you want to invest your storage funds. Contact a storage facility representative to discuss different features available for your belongings.