Finding a good storage facility is what every customer is looking for. While narrowing down your choices to a few options, it becomes extremely important for you to find out each facility’s security measures. Security is of utmost importance. In fact, it is more important than the location or the price of the unit. So, how do you evaluate whether the security of the facility is up to par or not? Well, here are 5 parameters to help you choose the right storage facility:
- Video Surveillance:
The self-storage facility you want to keep your possessions at must have a 24×7 video surveillance. It is not just the storage spaces that need to be monitored; all the access points should have cameras installed. Long hallways, the entry and exit points, everything should be under observation. Also, the cameras need to have excellent resolution and should provide the observers with high quality video and images. Apart from this, cameras must have the feature of oscillation. It is necessary that the camera zooms in and out whenever necessary.
You can ask the security manager of the facility to allow you to see the surveillance footage from the previous day or sometime before that. This will give you a fair idea as to how tight the security of the storage space is. Also, this will allow you to judge the quality of the cameras.
- Unit Access:
Well, this is of great importance. You need to know how one will have access to the unit. There are some facilities which provide you with key codes for access; some other companies offer you thumb impressions for entry. Confirm as to what kinds of accesses are provided. Next, you need to know whether the key codes are individual or they are shared. Do not book a facility that offers you a shared code. The chances of theft are pretty high and you do not want to take such chances.
Some units have fencing around them for protection. However, you need to ensure that the fencing is not broken or damaged anywhere. A security guard should be seen as an added advantage to the security of the unit. Also, it is essential that the storage company maintains a proper record of who enters and exits the units. You can take a walk in the storage facility and check if it provides all these amenities.
- Unit Security:
It is vital that your storage unit has a lock. It is also essential that you know what kind of lock the security unit provides you with. If the company provides you with combination locks, it is essential that the company provides you with a kind of lock which can be durable; the combination lock should enable you to have a complex lock code which is tricky to crack. Also, ask if the staff has knowledge about the lock codes or even they are oblivious to the same. Some items might be highly confidential and you wouldn’t even want to risk the employees having access to the units.
Apart from this, it is important to have alarms for every single unit. This is important so that any attempt to break into the units can be detected immediately. Tampering with the locks and trespassing can be prevented with the help of security alarms.
- Fire Protection:
Well, you cannot predict accidents. They can take place at anytime in any place. However, what we can do is to be aware of the possible accidents and maintain a system which can help combat such situations. If there is a fire breakout, the units should have sprinklers that detect the fire and immediately put out the fire before it causes more damage. These systems need to be in working conditions and they need to be visible throughout the facility. You need to make certain that these systems are maintained regularly. Do not hesitate to ask the security manager about how often are these systems inspected and what is their maintenance schedule. - Insurance:
It is very important for you to know if the storage company provides you with insurance for your possessions or not. Some facilities are known to provide complete insurance for your goods; some others do not provide the same. There are companies who offer you a third party insurance or you can use your choice of insurance agency. However, it is advisable that you choose a company which offers you a complete insurance, so that you don’t need to be worried about your goods. Also, such facilities lessen your hassles about insuring your prized possessions. CKB