Do you have a few systems that you can't keep in a small home or limited business area? Are you trying to start up a computer repair or servicing company, but can't justify a brick and mortar office or bigger home for your work? Storage units are great ways to provide some inventory overflow, but you need to stay safe and clean about it. Here are a few planning and maintenance points to make self storage an inventory space until you're able to expand your business—and maybe even after that.
Security Is Priority Number One
Self storage is often used by individuals to hold old clothing or other materials that have low value, but are nonetheless important. These objects may or may not be worthwhile to thieves, but there's a low probability of consistent threats from thieves.
Business inventory is different, especially with working computers. Even if no one knows what you're keeping in storage, a thief who routinely pops locks and opens doors may fall in love with the treasure trove in the form of your inventory.
The self storage facility you choose must have at least a working, recording surveillance system and restricted access for customers only. You can risk it by using a storage facility that allows the public to enter as needed without verification, but make sure that the doors are reinforced and don't show signs of forced entry.
To test surveillance, make an unannounced visit to the facility and stand in front of a few of the cameras. Be sure to take note of the time and date, then ask to see surveillance video from that date and time. If you're not in the video, it could be stock footage for the sake of saving money on electricity by not having the cameras on.
Or, the cameras could just be fake.
Dust Control for Electronics
A computer won't break down from just gathering dust in storage. The real problem is what happens after you take the systems out of storage and try to turn them on.
Dust acts as an insulator of heat that can overheat the computer, but that's the most basic, guaranteed danger. A few more dangerous situations happen when collected dust clogs up fans, generates static shock, or acts as kindling to ignite into little embers before the rest of the computer is anywhere close to overheating.
Some may think that it's a simple task of cleaning. Not so simple, as untrained cleaning causes damage that may not show up for weeks or months as metal contacts become eroded or suffer corrosion.
To combat the problem before it starts, make sure that your air conditioning facility has reliable filtration. Central air systems need to be checked regularly, but air filters attached to specific storage units are the best feature to shop for.
Contact a self storage facility to get more information on other aspects of safe and clean computer storage.
