[scrapple]

Let me tell you the scenario and then you can decide for yourselves.
We rented an airconditioned unit from Village Storage the beginning of OCT month when we arrived. It has an outside bay that opens, no access from the inside. As the laborers were loading stuff in, one of them said I probably didn't want my instruments in there because it wasn't airconditioned. "Yes it is." "No it isn't. "Yes it is." "No it isn't." Upon closer investigation, there's no vent into the room, a metal pipe that I assume holds electrical wires runs thru it, nothing else.
I went back to Pat who I've been working with and she is insistant that it's airconditioned. I had her walk to similar outdoor bays and indoor bays. There's no vents in the outdoor bays, the indoor bays seemed to have more ceiling space and no access to the outside and the vent is in the middle of the hallways. Pat said she spoke with her boss a few days later and was told what I rented was an airconditioned unit. Today I was by Oxford Storage and asked which were their airconditioned units and was told the AC units were the indoor ones, non AC were any that had outside access.
I went back to Pat and told her I had this discussion and would be posting this on-line.
What do you think?

[frankie1]

We have had problems with Suddath/United Van Lines also. Appreciate you advising us of your experience..

[JenAjd]

I believe the party who told you that "air" would be a warehouse type inside building would be true and not the attached to one another units like you rented. I think I would take this further if you are being bilked!!!!

[CaliforniaGirl]

Self-storage facilities offer "climate-controlled" storage as a selling point, because they are very well aware that most moving/storage companies do not offer it - in fact, I don't know of any closer than Orlando that do. There's a very good reason for that. If you're storing normal household goods & personal effects, climate control is not necessary unless you are moving from a very arid area to a very humid area - in which case your wood furniture could swell and split, but this happens very rarely. So if you were moving here from Phoenix, you would want to consider it. You would want to consider it also if you have a Steinway piano or expensive original oil paintings. Normal household goods, however, are not really affected by heat & humidity.

That being said, if you paid a premium for air-conditioned storage and there is no air vent in your unit, you are being ripped off. Ask how much a "non air-conditioned" unit of the same size would rent for, and insist on a refund. Then move out the sensitive pieces (artwork, musical instruments) and keep them with you or have a friend store them for you temporarily in their home.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Scrapple - As a suggestion, perhaps stop by the storage place periodically and measure the air temp and humidity in your storage unit (will require a thermometer and hygrometer - can be bought cheaply at pretty much any place that sells indoor/outdoor thermometers. If you consider the readings acceptable, then maybe just roll with it. Given there's no direct ductwork into the exterior units, maybe the owner/manager pitches them as Climate Controlled because they stay fairly well controlled due to being adjacent to the interior units. Totally a long-shot/guess on my part. But try to pin them down on how they consider them to be CC given the total lack of ductwork to the units. And if you don't feel like you're getting what you paid for, tell them you want your money back.

Doesn't seem like their CC claim will hold water if you elect to pursue it further with outside entities (BBB, etc.).

JMHO -
Bill

[mulligan]

I beg to differ. The humidity combined with temperature changes will raise hell with anything upholstered, anything metal, paper, or wood. Mold and mildew proliferate in non-climate controlled storage.

[CaliforniaGirl]

Originally Posted by mulligan

I beg to differ. The humidity combined with temperature changes will raise hell with anything upholstered, anything metal, paper, or wood. Mold and mildew proliferate in non-climate controlled storage.

In 30+ years in the moving/storage industry, I never received a claim for climate-related damage. And never worked where there was a climate-controlled warehouse. A well-maintained warehouse will have adequate air circulation and no evidence of dampness. My own possessions were in storage in Ocala for 3 years with no damage.

[mowdie]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGirl

In 30+ years in the moving/storage industry, I never received a claim for climate-related damage. And never worked where there was a climate-controlled warehouse. A well-maintained warehouse will have adequate air circulation and no evidence of dampness. My own possessions were in storage in Ocala for 3 years with no damage.

What about mattresses, box springs and couches? Thanks

[CaliforniaGirl]

Originally Posted by mowdie

What about mattresses, box springs and couches? Thanks

Provided there is adequate air circulation and no water leaks, mold should not be a problem. But don't confuse air circulation with air conditioning. Air conditioning is wonderful and will certainly do the job; however, people do live without it (not in TV, obviously) or have it and can't afford to run it. I grew up in a home in the deep South that was not air conditioned. Also attended school in France, where air conditioning was a luxury for the wealthy only - schools, hospitals, etc were not air conditioned. As long as air is moving and there are no active moisture sources (including human perspiration!), mold is not an issue where normal storage is concerned.

[starflyte1]

We have storage units with Ft. Knox Storage. Ours are inside conditioned air units.

[mowdie]

Originally Posted by scrapple

Let me tell you the scenario and then you can decide for yourselves.
We rented an airconditioned unit from Village Storage the beginning of OCT month when we arrived. It has an outside bay that opens, no access from the inside. As the laborers were loading stuff in, one of them said I probably didn't want my instruments in there because it wasn't airconditioned. "Yes it is." "No it isn't. "Yes it is." "No it isn't." Upon closer investigation, there's no vent into the room, a metal pipe that I assume holds electrical wires runs thru it, nothing else.
I went back to Pat who I've been working with and she is insistant that it's airconditioned. I had her walk to similar outdoor bays and indoor bays. There's no vents in the outdoor bays, the indoor bays seemed to have more ceiling space and no access to the outside and the vent is in the middle of the hallways. Pat said she spoke with her boss a few days later and was told what I rented was an airconditioned unit. Today I was by Oxford Storage and asked which were their airconditioned units and was told the AC units were the indoor ones, non AC were any that had outside access.
I went back to Pat and told her I had this discussion and would be posting this on-line.
What do you think?

For the first time in my life I am now grateful to need a storage facility in or near the villages. Checked out a couple of places today.. Absolutely NO Question. and I have NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT>>> A new facility on 466 about three miles east of morse called.. EXTRA Storage.. Imaculate, new, clean and air conditioned (and I am an hvac guy) two stories, elevators, many sizes and get ready for this... the first two months are FREE except for a small admin fee and I only need the place for three months while our new hs is built in TV. the manager Terri and her husband were great. If you need storage this is the place. I was lucky to find it

[JohnN]

California girl knows her stuff. I worked in warehousing for a long long time.
Air circulation sure helps!

Now I wouldn't leave my stuff in storage for years, paper and fabric will deteriorate, but for less than a year or so, while you're moving, it's no problem. Delicates like art and instruments should be in a better environment. Good luck in your move

[mrfixit]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGirl

In 30+ years in the moving/storage industry, I never received a claim for climate-related damage. And never worked where there was a climate-controlled warehouse. A well-maintained warehouse will have adequate air circulation and no evidence of dampness. My own possessions were in storage in Ocala for 3 years with no damage.

AGREE 100%.... air movement -(combined with humidity control)- will prevent mold in storage areas. Plus if you want dust-free/smoke-free you simply pressurize to 1.3 bar ( 130 kilopascals at sea-level). ((NOTE to Talk Host.(and other SCUBA divers).I do realize that mean atmospheric pressure at sea-level is technically 1.013 bar))

[CaliforniaGirl]

Originally Posted by mowdie

For the first time in my life I am now grateful to need a storage facility in or near the villages. Checked out a couple of places today.. Absolutely NO Question. and I have NO DOG IN THIS FIGHT>>> A new facility on 466 about three miles east of morse called.. EXTRA Storage.. Imaculate, new, clean and air conditioned (and I am an hvac guy) two stories, elevators, many sizes and get ready for this... the first two months are FREE except for a small admin fee and I only need the place for three months while our new hs is built in TV. the manager Terri and her husband were great. If you need storage this is the place. I was lucky to find it

Extra Space Storage is great and I can't say enough wonderful things about Terri. If I should ever need storage in this area, they would get my business.

[Tall Terri]

[QUOTE=CaliforniaGirl;303544]Self-storage facilities offer "climate-controlled" storage as a selling point, because they are very well aware that most moving/storage companies do not offer it - in fact, I don't know of any closer than Orlando that do. There's a very good reason for that. If you're storing normal household goods & personal effects, climate control is not necessary unless you are moving from a very arid area to a very humid area - in which case your wood furniture could swell and split, but this happens very rarely. So if you were moving here from Phoenix, you would want to consider it. You would want to consider it also if you have a Steinway piano or expensive original oil paintings. Normal household goods, however, are not really affected by heat & humidity.

QUOTE]

Keep in mind that Climate Controlled storage is also good to keep out mold and mildew which can run rampant in Florida due to the humidity in the air and some places like Extra Space Storage have three floors completely climate controlled and are NOT at a premium price!!