When You May Need Climate-Controlled Storage for Your Furniture

Published: October 15, 2022

If you’re looking to store your furniture for an extended period, you might wonder whether a climate-controlled storage unit is necessary. But the reality is that furniture should ideally be stored in a living room where it can last for years, not in places with extreme temperature shifts. A regular storage unit might suffice if you are only planning to store items for a few months.

If you want to store items for an extensive amount of time, climate-controlled storage is the best solution to protect your belongings from changes in temperature and moisture.

1. Upholstered Furniture

Furniture upholstered in natural fibers is especially prone to developing musty smells in humid, non-climate-controlled environments. A couch that you hope to use again will be the least likely to incur damage if stored in a cool, dry environment.

Though shrink wrap can occasionally safeguard your upholstered furniture from too much moisture in a storage space that is damper, fabrics need to be able to breathe eventually. Therefore, plastic isn’t the best long-term storage option.

To keep your upholstered furniture in good shape, we recommend wrapping it in a breathable cotton cover or sheet. This will protect it from dust and pests. If you live in an area with extreme temperatures, we also recommend using UNITS® climate-controlled storage facility.

2. Antique or Valuable Furniture

Though antique wood furniture is built to last, it requires some TLC. Most notably, you must be careful of humidity levels. Too much humidity can make the wood swell or shrink.

Changes in humidity and temperature can cause cracks and other damage to wood furniture, which will lower the resale value. To avoid this, we recommend storing valuable wood furniture in a space with a relative humidity of around 55% and a consistent temperature.

If you decide to store your valuable furniture in a storage unit that is not climate controlled, be sure to get enough renter’s insurance.

3. Are You Located in a Humid City?

According to recent studies, the most humid cities in America are New Orleans, Jacksonville, and Houston. These areas see large amounts of converging water and high temperatures, which creates an environment rife for mold and mildew growth. As a result, standard storage units in these regions will have higher humidity levels than those in more arid climates.

If mold and mildew are present, they can grow very quickly within 24 to 48 hours. If you use furniture that has mold or mildew on it without cleaning it first, you could experience some health problems. Also, if the furniture is already old, it might not be possible to save it.

If you don’t live in a hot, humid area, you might think your furniture is safe from the damaging effects of excess heat and dryness. However, even if you store your furniture in a non-climate-controlled environment, it can still be damaged by wood splitting or cracking.