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Spring Storage Unit Inspection: What To Do If Water Entered Your Unit

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If you have been using a storage unit for more than six months, you should open it up this spring and check for water damage. If you spot any water damage, you may still have enough time to salvage your items:

Check The Floors For Water & Moisture

You should not have boxes or furniture sitting directly on the floor of your storage unit. All of your items should be sitting on top of pallets in order to protect them.

Check out the floor of your unit and see if there is any standing water, or spots where you can see that water has entered your unit. 

Standing Water

If there is standing water inside of your unit, try to trace it to the source so you can stop the problem. If it is an issue is created by something you cannot address, inform the storage unit manager about the issue. They have a responsibility to keep their storage units in good working order, and that includes stopping water from leaking into the building.

Once you have addressed the root of the problem, get a mop and clean up the standing water.

Dry Water Puddles

If you can tell water has entered your unit since the last time you have been in there, but the water has since evaporated, you should still try to track down the source and inform the storage unit manager. That way, they can look into the issue further.

Inspect Your Items 

If you can tell that water entered your unit, be sure to inspect all the boxes and furniture around the affected area. If anything is damp, take it outside in the sunshine and let it dry off before you put it back inside of your storage unit. 

  • Furniture: If your furniture has gotten wet, remove the coverings you have on your furniture. If you used blankets or sheets to protect your furniture, you should rewash them before you put them back on your furniture.
    • Take the furniture outside and let it dry out in the sun.
    • Vacuum the furniture to remove any mold spores that have taken root.
    • Use a mixture of 1 part rubbing alcohol 2 parts water to wipe down and clean your furniture with to kill any potential mold spores.
    • Allow the furniture to dry off. If there is any exposed wood areas on your furniture, you will want to clean and polish those areas. 
  • Boxes: If any of your boxes got wet, pull them out and inspect the contents. Wipe off any dust and dirt, and allow the items to dry. You should replace the boxes and packaging material. 

Make sure you budget in some time this spring to go out and inspect your storage unit. Look out for water damage. If you spot any water damage, pull the items out of your storage unit and clean them up. If you can't salvage the items, you may be able to recover your loses by making an insurance claim.

To learn more, contact a company like Allsafe & Storaway Self Storage with any questions or concerns you have.


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