Whatever you want to use a self-storage unit for, it’s important to know what you can and can’t store so that you don’t get caught out.
While a storage unit can seem like a haven for anything you don’t have space for, storing certain items can be unwise, and sometimes even dangerous!
Read on to find out what you shouldn’t be storing in a storage unit at Titan Storage.
Food and perishable goods
The last thing you want, when you come to retrieve something from your storage unit, is to find everything covered with mould. That’s why, unless the items in question are securely packed or protected, we don’t recommend you storing food or perishable goods.
Items of this nature can also attract unwanted bugs and other nasties – definitely not something you’d want to find in your unit!
Animals
After a recent story about a woman who lost her hamster in a storage box and ended up taking it to her storage unit, we’d like to reiterate that we don’t advocate the storage of any kinds of living creatures in a self-storage unit.
This includes birds, fish, mammals and even reptiles – as supported by this discovery in Calgary.
Humans
As an extension of the above point, we would like to state that people are not allowed to create a storage unit into a permanent residence. Although our stores are open and accessible 24/7, storage units are not a way to avoid rent prices!
Additionally, we are also not supporters of people running businesses or working from their storage units, meaning that customers visiting your unit to purchase goods is not permitted. If you’re looking for a good place to work, why not take a look at our meeting rooms and managed offices instead?
Combustible or flammable materials
This may seem like quite an obvious one to include but, if we’d prefer you not to store gas, paint, petrol, oil or cleaning solvents in your storage unit. All of these items can pose a risk to the facility as a whole since they are flammable.
If you’re unsure whether you can store something – ask yourself whether it’s flammable. If the answer’s yes, you may need to find another place to put it.
Firearms, explosives, weapons or ammunition
These items, as outlined by Firearms Rules 1998, need to be stored in a secure location where unauthorised people – people without firearms certificates – cannot access them. They are recommended to be stored in a secure gun cabinet or container, as designated by police assessment.
Since our site is accessed by a number of different customers and the storage facility isn’t legally your own, the assessment of the security of your unit will not be appropriate for firearms and other explosive devices, especially since the items represent a hazard.
Chemicals, radioactive materials or biological agents
There are only a certain number of designated sites that can legally store radioactive materials, and we’re not one of them. Beyond that, other chemicals and hazardous materials are considered inherently dangerous and unable to be stored, since they pose a risk to the safety of the site.
These items include toxic waste, asbestos, propane tanks, kerosene, acids and all the flammable/combustible items we mentioned above.
Illegal items
If you don’t legally own something, you can’t store it in a storage unit and shouldn’t be storing it personally either.
This includes illegal items or goods – including counterfeit items, smuggled items like tobacco, illicit alcohol, unlicensed medicines and unsafe goods.
Money and securities
For items of this nature, we would suggest specialist storage, such as a safe deposit box. These can be kept either at home or in a designated location.
While our storage units are safe and secure, we would recommend storing these items somewhere with a higher level of security.
We hope this blog has given you all the information you need about what you can’t store in a self-storage unit. These guidelines are created to keep all customers who use the stores safe, happy and satisfied with their storage. If there’s something not on this list, or something that you’re not sure about, simply ask in store – our staff will be more than happy to help you out with any questions you have about your items.
If you’re looking for a self-storage unit for your belongings, why not consider Titan Storage? Take a look at our different storage options here and start your storage journey today.
