It is hurricane season, and this season can pose some significant risks for homeowners and businesses who are situated along the coasts. Though most individuals understand how important it is to protect their property and personal belongings inside the home, some will often overlook their belongings that are kept in storage. If you rent a self-storage unit, there are a few things you can do to help make certain that your items stay safe during hurricane season.

Choose a Climate-Controlled Unit

Hurricanes tend to bring significant temperature shifts and extreme humidity, which can cause damage to some items. For example, moisture shorts out electronics, warps wood furniture, and damages paper files or photographs. If you rent a climate-controlled unit, you will have temperature controls and added insulation that help to reduce the chance of damage to your personal belongings inside of the unit.

Invest in Insurance

While it would be nice, there is no way to 100 percent eliminate the chance of damage occurring to your items, regardless of where they are stored. For this reason, you should invest in insurance. Speak to your insurance company about adding an additional policy or rider that will cover any of the items that you are storing in a facility to ensure that you are properly covered in the event of any kind of damage during hurricane season or any other time of year.

Follow Instructions Provided by the Self-Storage Facility

In the event that a hurricane hits your area, you may be unable to access your storage unit immediately because it is unsafe, depending on the exact extent of the damage at the storage facility. You will need to contact the storage facility to find out when your unit will be accessible so that you are able to assess any damage as soon as possible. Make sure that you follow any instructions that you are given by the manager of the facility, such as avoiding sharp debris or downed power lines.

When it comes to protecting your personal belongings during hurricane season but you need to have your items outside of the home, a self-storage facility may be what you need. However, if you are unsure how to properly protect your belongings at a storage facility, the aforementioned tips can help. Of course, there may be further steps that you need to take, so if you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes, make sure that you talk to the manager of the facility upfront to find out what you need to do. For more information, contact a self-storage facility in your area.