For many people, finding a storage unit is a simple, albeit heavy and tiring task of finding an area that's big enough, cheap enough and close enough to store old furniture or clothing. If you plan on putting valuable or potentially useful belongings away that could be ruined by dust, humidity, pests or any number of idle room risks, you'll want to inspect the storage facility first. Here are a few inspection steps to help you find a problem and bring it to the facility's attention before putting your stuff into a sad situation. 

Finding Cracks Beyond The Eye's Gaze

There are a few obvious problems that can be caught with just a glance. Huge cracks, crumbling walls, crooked doors and big leaks should either be ignored or brought to the storage facility's attention, but not all problems are so easily seen.

Hairline cracks may be just under the visible layer, especially with corrugated, speckled or other heavily-textured surfaces. In these cases, you'll need to try a few exposed light and air leaking tests to find the problem.

Making sure you have a second person outside of the storage room during the day for safety, close the room and turn off the lights. Look for any leaking sunlight from the outside and mark the area. You can use tape or any non-permanent marks, but make sure not to further damage or deface the storage room.

If there's nothing visible, turn on the lights or open the storage room again. With your bare hands, move slowly across the surface of the walls or corners and inspect for any changes in temperature or general climate. If an area is cooler or more humid, there may be an unseen crack that needs to be patched.

Searching For Air Conditioning Control Problems

Air conditioning systems in storage units are a great boost in quality, as the air movement can stop dust from settling as quickly and can even remove some dust from the air because of the filtration system. Unfortunately, a poorly-maintained air conditioning system can create an all new dust problem.

Don't judge the dust problem of a storage unit by your initial visit. Units that have been vacant for more than a few months can still get heavy buildup if the unit is turned off to save energy, so allow the facility to clean and filter the room.

After the room is reasonably clean, turn off the lights and shine a flashlight towards the ventilation. If there's dust blasting from the vent, ask the facility management to check the ductwork (pipe/corridor system) and the air conditioning's filter.

Speak with a storage unit facility to find storage units that fit your cleanliness needs.