What’s the Difference Between Heated & Climate-Controlled Self-Storage Units?

Winters in Canada are cold and our summers can have some pretty warm days; this can wreak havoc on certain belongings. Wood furniture, art, delicate fabrics, electronic devices,  CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, and books can all be compromised if they are stored in an environment that gets too cold. A heated or climate-controlled storage unit can help mitigate the risks to your belongings, but there is a difference in these types of units and the items that should be stored in each. So what are the differences between a heated vs unheated storage unit? Find out below.

What Does Heated Self-Storage Mean?

A heated storage unit keeps the temperature warm during the winter. No A/C is provided in heated storage units during the summer months. Cold temperatures are the only environmental consideration that is accounted for in heated storage units. It is fine to store exercise equipment, electronics, appliances, CDs, DVDs, and even brass musical instruments in a heated unit with other items. The majority of U•STORE•IT’s units are heated, with the exception of our St. Albert Erin Ridge facility, which has climate-controlled options.

What Does Climate-Controlled Self-Storage Mean?

Climate-controlled storage offers more than heat during the winter. The temperature can rise and units could get pretty hot in summer. Climate-controlled storage has the extra protection of A/C to keep your items at a consistent temperature all year round. This level of environmental management won’t be required in all cases, but if you have wood furniture, woodwind musical instruments, important documents, photos, art, paint, books, clothing, vinyl records, antiques, or leather items you may want to consider a climate-controlled option. These items can also be sensitive to the amount of moisture in the air, and if the humidity gets too low or too high, it may damage your belongings. Climate-controlled units are only available at our St. Albert Erin Ridge location.

Do You Really Need a Heated or Climate-Controlled Unit?

You might be asking yourself? Do I really need to pay extra for a heated or climate-controlled storage unit? Here are some questions to help you decide:

• Do you intend to store any of the items listed above?
• Do you intend to store these items during the winter?
• Will you be storing any special or sentimental items?

If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, it would be worth considering the investment in a heated or climate-controlled option to ensure that the items will remain undamaged and will function as you expect them to when you take them out of storage.

Contact your closest location and we will provide availability details and pricing for a heated or climate-controlled unit to keep every item you store with us in tip-top shape. We have self-storage facilities located in North Edmonton, West Edmonton, South Edmonton, St. Albert, and Red Deer.