Protecting Your Property When Your Storage Unit Becomes Flooded
Storage units are essentially large garage spaces that you rent to store all of your excess stuff. The proprietor does his/her best to make sure your stuff is safe and dry, but storage units cannot protect your stuff against floods unless the units are indoors. As such, here are some tips on protecting your property when your storage unit, or the area around these units, becomes flooded.
Get Renter's Insurance That Covers Storage Units
Not many people know this, but you can get renter's insurance just for a storage unit. What you want and need is flood insurance, however, as that is what is most likely to occur. (Fires in storage units are highly unusual, unless the units are targeted by an arsonist with a penchant for igniting structures that have no living beings inside. THAT is also highly unusual.) In much rarer instances, the proprietor might extend coverage to cover your belongings in the unit, but that is extremely rare. Ergo, get flood/renter's insurance on your unit.
If There Is Frequent Flooding Where You Live, Store Everything above Waist Height
Unless you invest in watertight storage containers, you will have to store your stuff above waist height. Place everything in plastic totes, which should help protect whatever you put on the shelves above your head. It may also help to duct tape the lids onto the containers, and label them with permanent marker so that you know exactly what is in them That way, when it floods, your stuff should be protected until the water recedes enough to open the unit and pump the water out or leave the unit open to dry out.
Call the Proprietor Right away If There Is Flooding
Clearly, the proprietor of your storage unit is going to want to know that his/her property is being flooded. There are steps that he/she can take to help you protect your belongings. This includes building a sand bag wall all the way around the perimeter of the storage units, and stacking sand bags against the bottom half of every storage unit to prevent water from seeping in under the doors.
If you can and you are able, offer to help the proprietor get enough sand bags together and in position to protect the structure and every renter's stuff inside. There may be some other measures the proprietor can take to hold back the flood waters. Yet, nothing can be done unless you call him/her first.
Contact a facility, like LoDo Self Storage & Moving Center, for more help.
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