A recent visitor to my forum posted an interesting question. "My husband and I are moving into a smaller apartment," she wrote, "and will need to put some of our furniture and books into storage. We have found a storage unit that will accommodate our size needs, but have some concerns about storing the books without climate control. Does anyone have any suggestions on appropriate ways to safely store books? We joked about using the silica packets that keep shoes dry before purchase."
It's always worth thinking about the safety of items you are putting into self-storage units. In most cases, moisture should be your biggest concern. Excessive humidity can encourage mold to grow, while puddled water can quickly ruin your books.
I have had many books destroyed by, but in every case I can recall these were books that had been stored in damp basements. I've stored books in unheated garages and attics for long periods of time with no problems whatsoever. Moisture would likely only be a problem in self-storage units in environments with high humidity or due to flooding or water leaks.
Take a few moments to inspect the door. Does it close securely, or are there gaps big enough for water (from a heavy rainfall, for example) to pass through? Are the walls and ceiling free of cracks or holes that could leak?
The second biggest concern should be security. Self-storage units offer many levels of security. Some are protected by electronic gates, but the gates will not protect your goods from others who use the same facility. Many self-storage units require that you provide the lock for each unit you rent. It is up to you, therefore, to buy the most secure lock possible. Cheap padlocks can be cut or broken easily.
If possible, check in at your self-storage unit from time to time. If anything causes you to worry about your belongings, go find another unit. Otherwise, I don't think you need worry about your books.
Photo © Jeff Beneke
Comments
Last fall I bought an abandoned self-storage unit that had a water leak. The damage wasn’t apparent from the front of the unit, but we found several boxes of books inside that had become wet and basically decomposed into dirt, complete with bugs and worms! The books had been packed in cardboard boxes and placed on the cement floor. It was hideous.
one thing to remember also is that even if flooding is not a possibility you will want to avoid putting your boxes of books on the floor in order to avoid moisture absorption from the concrete, especially if they are going to be in storage for a while.
I had my books in a storage unit since 2007. I put them in plastic boxes and so far they are fine. I have a unit on the second floor so flooding is not a problem.
As much as possible, it is best to choose a climate controlled self storage especially if you are storing stuff that is easily get ruined by damp conditions, such as books and documents.
Everything must really be considered in storing something especially climate.
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