While your need to rent a storage unit may be quite clear, the decision regarding whether to rent a standard unit or invest in a heated unit may not be quite so easy to make. Thankfully, making this decision can be much easier if you take the time to ask yourself the three basic questions outlined below.

How Much Time Will You Be Spending In The Unit?

People often tend to think only about the items that will be in their storage unit and overlook the time that they will spend in the unit themselves. This can be problematic if you will be spending any significant amount of time in the unit. After all, your ability to stay warm will surely have an impact on your ability to be productive. Therefore, if you are planning to use your storage unit as a work site, you will definitely want to invest in a heated unit.

What Items Do You Plan To Store Inside The Unit?

What you choose to place inside your storage unit will be the single most important factor to consider when choosing between standard and heated storage units. This is because some materials simply do not react well to cold temperatures. For instance, if you plan to store any liquids, you will want to avoid the use of an unheated unit since these items can freeze if left in an unheated space. While bringing these liquids back to room temperature may allow them to thaw, many liquids will experience changes in effectiveness and consistency if frozen and then thawed. You will also need to be careful when storing some glass containers as these containers can break when exposed to extreme temperatures as a result of the natural expanding and contracting abilities of glass. 

How Long Do You Plan To Leave Your Items In Storage?

While some materials will not perform well in the cold even over short periods of time, others will do just fine in these temperatures as long as their exposure is not prolonged. For instance, while a few weeks in a cold storage unit is not likely to cause damage to most household electronics, spending an entire winter season in storage can result in damage to many of these same products. Therefore, it is not only important to consider what items you will be storing in your unit, but also how long you plan to leave these items in storage. Generally speaking, the longer you plan to store your items, the more you will benefit from the use of a heated storage unit. 

For more information on heated storage, contact your local business in Anchorage, AK.