When you store your belongings in the storage unit, you expect them to be safe and damage free. That’s the whole point of renting a storage unit. To keep your belongings safe until you find a place for them. Still, you can find a very unpleasant surprise in your storage – the pests infestation. Pests adore undisturbed places that provide protection from the elements. That is why you can find them in the sheds, attics, garages, basements, and of course storage units.  In order to keep the pests away from your precious belongings, you need to vermin-proof your storage unit.

First of all – Did you choose the ideal storage unit for your belongings?

When you have a need for additional space for storing your items, renting a storage unit is always a better option than storing your items on the attic or basement. While storage units have their variabilities regarding pests, they are much safer than the dark and moldy parts of your house. Also, they will protect your belongings from the theft, vandalism and many natural disasters. Still, you need to make sure that you’ve chosen the right storage facility.
Ask yourself these questions:

• Have I done a thorough research?
• Can I afford the rent of the storage unit?
• Should I take additional insurance on my belongings?
• Do I understand the contract and all its counts?
• Did I choose the right type of storage unit?
• Am I sure that there aren’t any items that shouldn’t be stored?
• Is the storage facility secure enough?

If you rent professional storage units Sudbury, you can be sure that you’ve made the safest choice. This reputable moving company is famous for its quality and being the best in the business. Their facilities carry a government approval seal and are up to up to the latest standards.

Why should you vermin-proof your storage unit?

Good self-storage facilities usually take appropriate measures to control rodent infestations. They will often offer their renters advice or even restrictions on the items that shouldn’t be kept in the storage units.
However, even if you follow those rules, there’s no guarantee that other renters will follow them as well. One vermin-infested storage unit is all it takes to endanger the others.
Since the renters rarely visit their units, rodents may consider them as a great place to find shelter. They are tricky and very limber and can easily find their way in, even if there aren’t any obvious entry points. Keep in mind that most insects can fit through an opening as thin as a credit card, while mice can squeeze through holes as small as a pencil. It seems impossible, but it is true.

That is why you should do everything in your power to vermin-proof your storage unit. Remember, good preventive is always the best solution. You will be much more at ease if you know that you have to take measures to secure your belongings from the pests.

What damage can pests cause?

The most common pests found in storage units are rodents. Specifically, mice and rats. They are able to literally go throw the cracks and crevices and find the way into your storage unit undetected. Once they nest there, they quickly multiply. If you want to keep your stuff safe, you need to vermin-proof your storage unit.
These rodents can cause a lot of damage to your belongings since they will nibble everything. Furniture, cardboard, plastic and electrical wiring. In fact, the electrical damage and malfunctions caused by the nibbling rodents are the cause for 8% – 20% of house fires.

Another reason why you need to vermin-proof your storage unit, are the health threats. Besides being the destructors of everything that comes their way, mice and rats are the carriers of many diseases. They carry bacteria on their bodies and spread it through their droppings. Salmonella and Hantavirus are just some of the diseases that spread very fast thanks to the infected rodents.

The signs of rodent infestations

Rats and mice are small and fast. They are smarter than the people give them credit. It is very possible that you won’t see any rodent in your storage unit.
But you will surely know that they are at there, by these sings:

• Teeth marks – If your storage containers, boxes, wood or other items have small nibbling marks on them, that is a clear sign that something is living in your storage unit.
• Tracks – Since storage units are dusty, it is possible to notice the tracks of rodents in it. Small feet tracks mean that you are dealing with the mice infestation. Since the rats have a long tail that they drag, look for a long dust free line between the feet marks.
• Droppings – If you find rodent feces, that is a clear sign that you need to vermin-proof your storage unit immediately. It will look like a small raisin.
• Use a pet as a pests alarm – Next time when you go to visit your storage unit, bring your pet with you. If you don’t have one, you surely have a friend or a neighbor that can loan you one. Pets can sense critters lurking in the shadows of your storage unit. The best pet for this job is a dog since it will announce the presence of the rodents by barking. A cat is a risk since it will probably start chasing the pests and damaging your belongings in the process.

How to vermin-proof your storage unit and protect your belongings

Prevention against the pests is always the best solution.
First of all, ask the facility staff about pest control. High-quality storage facilities like the ones that movers Ontario offer, usually have agreements with pest companies to treat the units.
Still,  additional safety measures from your side will secure your belongings even further.

Here what you can do to vermin-proof your storage unit:

• Use rodent repellents – Place sticky glue traps, mouse traps, or other types of products to repel or catch rodents that are wandering around your storage unit.
• Use containers with a lid – When you store your items in the heavy, plastic containers with lids that you will seal, the rodents won’t be able to get to them.
• Never store food items – Since animal have much stronger senses, they will sense food a mile away. Don’t risk all of your belongings by storing some food item in your storage unit. Food is first on the list of the items that you shouldn’t keep in storage.
• Use plastic wrappers – The best way vermin-proof your storage unit is to wrap your furniture in heavy plastic. That will prevent the trail of urine and feces that rodents leave behind to contaminate your belongings.
• Take care of your storage unit – Kwill Minimize the risk of pests infestation by keeping your storage clean and tidy.