You have your storage facility up and running, or you’re in the planning phase of building your next facility... so what are the key factors you need to think about when it comes to your doors, roof, and climate control?
In our February 25th blog “Ensuring Form, Function and Long Life: How to Properly Care for Your Self Storage Unit Doors and Roof” we discuss how to properly care for your doors and roof. And in our November 21, 2021 blog post titled "Generate More Revenue by Offering Climate Controlled Self Storage” we discuss common uses and benefits along with design considerations when building a temperature or climate controlled self storage facility.
What it boils down to is that these three critical components are critical to keeping your facility and your tenant’s belongings safe, secure, and protected from any sort of criminal activity and/or weather elements. Using the right materials is also super important for curb appeal and energy efficiency.
One of the most distinguishing factors of a self storage facility are its steel roll up doors, so it’s important that they be well-maintained! Not only do they contribute to curb appeal, but they are a large part of the tenant experience providing safety for their belongings and can be a safety hazard if left untended. When building a new facility, metal wall and siding panel systems will provide the most flexibility when it comes to design, and these can be used for new construction or retrofit to existing buildings.
In addition, roll-up doors will also help maximize usable square footage in each storage unit.
Steel roll up doors should be inspected before a tenant moves in, and again after they’ve moved out. Inspection of a roll-up door doesn’t just mean ensuring it looks good, but also means it is functioning properly.
Here’s a closer look at metal panel wall systems.
Metal Panel Wall Systems
There are a number of benefits to using metal panel wall systems for a self storage facility. First, they often come in a variety of colors that can coordinate with any buildings' décor to create continuity and increase the facility’s curb appeal. Metal panel wall systems are also durable, environmentally friendly, and cost-efficient.
In addition to the aesthetic appeal and safety ratings of metal wall panels, they are also revered for their sustainability in the building industry. Not only can they help with reducing the consumption of energy within the building, but they can also be recycled. Recyclable metals can then be restructured into other metal wall panels with the same structural integrity.1
The good news is that Forge has one of the largest selections of metal wall and siding panel systems in the self storage industry. The Company’s wall panels include single skin, insulated, exposed fastener, concealed fastener, and interior wall liners, and most can be installed both vertically and horizontally, providing additional flexibility in design. Forge’s metal siding panels can be used for new construction or to retrofit existing buildings.
In addition to providing complete building packages, Forge also offers components to be installed in buildings by our experienced team. The system can include either swing or steel roll up doors as well as man doors. Additional steel angle, wire mesh, and burglar bars are available as needed. Hallway walls can be purchased as flush or ribbed PBU panel.
When looking at key factors for your existing or new facility, one of the biggest considerations is the roof. Protecting your tenant’s belongings is the main focus of a self storage facility. It doesn’t matter if you have a traditional, single-story facility or a multistory facility – your roof matters. Even a small leak can damage your customer’s property.
As self storage buildings age, roof maintenance and repair become more important and time-consuming. An inspection and maintenance program are an important part of sustaining roof life as well as keeping costly repairs and property claims in check. That’s one of the reasons the team at Forge Building Company recommends commercial metal roofs.
With proper inspection and maintenance, a metal roof can last for decades. The goals of a good inspection and maintenance program are to proactively locate and repair possible leaks while extending the life of the metal panels. This inspection and care will help you keep your roof in the best possible condition. The most effective examination for metal-roof systems includes four specific areas: the perimeter, the ridge, fasteners, and debris.
To learn more, see Metal Building Re-Roofing with Standing Seam Metal Roof Panels.
A metal roof will also act as a fire barrier if some part of the building or the surrounding area were to catch fire. Another benefit is that metal roofs can prevent water build-up from creating mold or decay problems that could destroy the building's structural integrity.
Very few places in the country are fortunate enough to avoid the frigid temperatures of winter every year or the extreme heat of summer. These extreme temperatures are not good for storing items unless you put them into a self storage unit that is climate controlled.
If your self storage facility is located in a part of the country that reaches temperatures above 90 degrees, air conditioning is definitely needed to protect customer’s property from problems like rotting or yellowing. Self storage units located in areas that fall below 32 degrees may need to be heated to prevent cracking or warping.2 And places with both extremes will need humidity protection. Fluctuating temperatures can create condensation inside electronics, causing irreparable damage. Likewise, anything that has liquid in it already can crack due to expansion from freezing. This is especially true of battery cells, including those for cars, mowers, and other small engines, which can crack when frozen.
A temperature-controlled self-storage facility is one that’s both heated and cooled. Its purpose is to provide an environment suitable for preserving stored goods, so the temperature range will typically be higher or lower than what you would find in a home or office—usually heated to 55 degrees and cooled to 85.
Today more self storage sites are starting to include climate control in the mix, and in some markets, many storage sites consist entirely of climate-controlled units. In most markets, climate or temperature-controlled units can be an excellent addition to your storage development. Through the use of insulation and central heating and air, a climate-controlled unit will protect your customer’s belongings in the harshest of winters and/or the hottest summers.
And with today’s more efficient building insulation, it’s more important than ever to work with a reputable storage unit contractor such as Forge Building Company to install a system that not only heats and cools, but also monitors and removes humidity.
Works Cited
1 Metal Sales. (n.d.). Retrieved from MetalSales.us.com: https://www.metalsales.us.com/metal-wall-panels/
2 StorageFront. (n.d.). Retrieved from storagefront.com: https://www.storagefront.com/storagetips/company-tips/climate-control/
