Is Storing Electronics for Your Business in a Portable Storage Container Safe?

When looking into storage options for your business, you might take into consideration the extra electronics or electronic equipment you find yourself without a space for, and whether or not you’re able to store them safely in a portable storage container. After all, electronics and items involving sensitive equipment can be very vulnerable when left in the wrong conditions or not taken care of. Of course, this goes for not just the safety of your electronics when stored in portable storage, but in general as well.

Thinking about the safety and integrity of your electronics in storage is especially important if your business is about to begin the moving process, or is looking for options to store items on a job site. So how do you keep your electronics safe and in the right care while in storage? Learn the best tips for electronic storage and how to store electronics using portable storage in this article.

Can You Store Electronics with Portable Storage?

Keeping electronics safe, secure, and in their best working condition should always be your top priority when storing them in containers where you’re not able to monitor their condition at all times. You can store electronics safely and securely using portable storage as long as you do so responsibly and with the safety of yourself and your employees in mind.

Of course, portable storage containers are accessible and provide you with the flexibility to monitor or check up on your items when you’d like to, but it’s easy to have an ‘out of sight, out of mind mentality when it comes to the items you put into them. Regardless of how or where you store electronics, you should always be mindful and attentive to the conditions they’re in, and what their overall condition is.

Whether storing electronics on their own or along with other items from your business in a portable storage container, there are certain things you’ll want to keep in mind to keep them safe and in their best condition.

This is important not only to make sure that your items and equipment are kept out of harm’s way but for general safety as well. Malfunctioning, corroded, or otherwise compromised electronic equipment can be dangerous or a hazard to yourself, your employees, and the other items you have stored.

One of the best ways to keep track of the electronics you store in a portable storage container is simply by keeping your boxes or containers labeled. Especially when packing up equipment or items to store during your business move, it can be easy to lose track of what is in what boxes, especially if you haven’t labeled as you’ve packed things up.

This is a hazard not only for delicate electronic equipment but for your regular items as well. After all, if you’re not sure what’s in what box, you could easily put vulnerable electronics on top of fragile items, or store them in an unsafe way.

Just like with fragile items, always label everything and keep electronics stores separately to keep them and your other items safe. This will also help you stay organized, keep equipment accessible, and keep you from forgetting about them. It will also allow you to be mindful of the temperatures they’re being stored at and will allow them to be moved if necessary.

You might wonder why such safety and organizational measures are necessary for storing electronics if they’re already being kept in a sturdy, airtight portable storage container. Keep in mind that though you can store electronics in your secure container, precautions should always be taken to keep vulnerable or fragile equipment safe – especially those that can be damaged by exposure to certain temperatures or inhospitable conditions.

So what should you look out for or anticipate when storing electronics? The following are some of the most common dangers to electronics while stored:

• Extreme Temperatures

If you live in a climate that experiences particularly hot or particularly cold temperatures during the summer or winter months, you should take extra precautions when storing electronics – especially if you do not have a climate-controlled container.

Though portable storage containers are airtight and moisture-proof this only protects your items inside from external risks and not all-encompassing ones like temperature. If your container is in an environment with extreme temperatures, the conditions inside will reflect these and can be very warm or very cold inside if not stored in a good location.

If you live in an extremely hot climate, you should avoid storing your electronics in your portable storage container for elongated periods, or long-term. Not only are fluctuating extreme temperatures good for the health of your equipment, but prolonged exposure to heat can cause damage to your electronics’ internal hardware, and shorten the lifespan of microchips, batteries, circuit boards, and more.

Prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can also compromise your devices or equipment if left in these conditions for extended periods. Electronics stored in very cold temperatures can experience lasting damage, including reduced battery life, cracking, and even the formation of ice crystals in areas with both high humidity levels and cold temperatures. For devices like cell phones, laptops, or gaming systems, prolonged exposure to these elements can result in permanent damage.

• Exposure to Humidity

As you might suspect, humidity is the enemy of internal hardware and electronics in general. If you’re storing electronics in a portable storage container located in an area with high humidity, or if your area experiences high humidity in general, the health of your equipment can be easily compromised or put at risk.

When in environments like this, condensation can be easily built up on these devices and can create a film of moisture inside of electronics. Internal moisture build-up can lead to malfunctions, short-circuiting, and the build-up of rust.

Just as with environments that experience excessive heat, you should always look into storing electronics in containers that can be climate controlled or where humidity levels can be controlled or monitored. This will let you store electronics with ease and without concern for prolonged exposure to humidity or heat.

• Dust

Dust might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to the different risks you’ll need to anticipate when storing electronics for extended periods, but dust buildup can be a very real risk to take into consideration.

When storing electronics in any environment, and not just portable storage containers, you should always keep them accessible for inspection, or just avoid storing them for the long term. In any environment, dust can form on your boxes or devices if not kept track of. Electronics with dust build-up can experience connectivity issues, overheating, or in more extreme cases, can have completely compromised cooling systems.

When packing and storing all of your equipment (and especially electronics!), you should always store them with care and ensure that you keep track of and check up on them to assess their conditions while in long-term storage. But what are the best ways to keep electronics safe in storage?

How to Keep Electronics Safe with Portable Storage

Electronics are very delicate items that should always be well attended to and taken care of to keep in their best shape, especially in a storage environment. When storing your items in your portable storage container, you should always take care to keep your items safe and well-cared-for during their time in storage. We’ve also compiled some extra specific precautions to take when using storage to keep electronics safe and in their best condition.

Electronics are very delicate, after all! Whether looking for a climate-controlled container or a regular one, you should also make sure that your container is of the best quality possible to keep items safe.

Before we get to the best ways to keep electronics safe in storage, you should first make sure you have the right type of storage container for your needs. Whether looking for short or long-term storage, working with the right portable storage supplier makes all the difference in the quality of storage container you receive and the overall safety and security of your items.

Working with Spinnaker Leasing & Equipment will allow you to work with a reputable provider who only sells and leases the most high-quality, secure, and airtight storage containers. With our high-quality containers, you can start in your storage process knowing your items will be kept safe.

Another way to ensure your items are kept in controlled, safe environments is by using climate-controlled containers. This is an easy way to keep electronics and other items safe and free from damage in environments with excessively hot or cold temperatures. Many climate-controlled containers also have humidity controls that will also allow you to maintain and monitor the environment your items are in within your storage container.

When storing electronics in a climate-controlled or regular container, however, storing them correctly will make all of the difference between having your items in their best condition once you remove them from storage or finding them compromised or malfunctioned once removing them from storage. This can also be a safety hazard, as corroded or overheating equipment can be a risk to those using them.

So how do you keep electronics safe in storage? Follow these tips to keep your things safe and in their best shape:

• Organize all electronics and store them separately from other items or equipment. Make sure you’re labeling boxes and are aware of where you’re storing items to prevent physical damage to your items. Always avoid storing things on top of your electronics as well.
• Take batteries out of any devices you use that have them. Batteries can easily corrode or leak onto other items while in storage and cause serious damage. If any of your devices have lithium batteries, charge them to around 50% before storing them, and make sure they’re kept in a climate-controlled container or away from any heat.
• Clean all of your electronics before storing them and remove dust or contaminants with a compressed air gun before packing.
• Unplug all items before packing and separate everything. Remove all attachments from main docks or units and separate everything to ensure that nothing can be broken, weakened, or compromised during transport or while in your container.
• Cover and cushion device screens with packing materials or with cushions to keep them safe from scratching, cracking, or breakage. Cover all gaps or vents in your devices to avoid dust buildup.

When it comes to storing your electronic devices safely and securely, having the right packing and storing strategy on your side can make all the difference between keeping your items safe and secure, and having accidents or damage done from external elements while in storage.

Use the right packing strategy and always have the right portable storage provider on your side to keep your items safe and secure. Contact Spinnaker Leasing & Equipment today to see what we can do for you and your business’ electronic storage needs.