Indoor Vs Outdoor Storage. Which One Is The Best Value For Money?
When looking for a storage solution for your business or personal items it is wise to do research and compare different types of facility. The largest difference in the self-storage industry is the separation of indoor and outdoor storage.
So, logically the next question is what is the difference between the two? Well, below we have put together a brief explanation of each type of facility along with the benefits and downfalls of them both.
Hopefully our research and writing will help you not only be more informed, but to make a more appropriate decision when choosing your self-storage solution.
The typical structure of an indoor storage facility is a large building, similar to a warehouse, with rows of corridors leading to a series of garage-like or large cupboard room storage units. These types of facilities are usually found in more urban city spaces.
As, the format of the storage facility can easily be built in a vertical structure. Having several floors can greatly multiply the number of units within a single facility. This makes it a more innovative facility making the best of the least amount of initial space.
Benefits of Indoor Storage
- Enclosed Building Security: Being within a large warehouse-like building, indoor storage facilities have the benefit of being able to have large security doors and limited access areas. Thieves are more likely to be deterred by a building with large security doors and cameras.
- Pest Control: Indoor facilities have the benefit of not being exposed to nature or weather, meaning that insects, pests or any sort of infestation are less likely. The points of entry for creatures or insects are minimal with indoor facilities.
- Urban Placement: As earlier described the structure of an indoor facility allows it to be built within a city center, or have a pre-existing building be renovated into a storage site. This makes it faster and easier for access and often allows for 24/7 access within a metropolitan landscape.
- Climate Control: Internal heating, cooling and ventilation means that valuable and more importantly fragile items can be safely stored. By having temperature and humidity control the amount of risk to items in minimized.
- Elevators: Although the multi-level approach of indoor facilities could mean hauling heavy items up several stairs. The addition of elevators within most facilities reduces the amount of time and distance you have to lift your items.
- No Exposure to Weather: By being inside of a building a positive of an indoor facility means that any weather conditions have no impact on the units or your items. Be it extreme storms or mundane drizzle an indoor storage unit is safe.
Some outdoor facilities opt for the garage style units having several rows of road with the garages lining them. Others go for shipping containers as their units, modifying the container to create larger or smaller units to meet customer demand.
Outdoor storage facilities may lack the option to go vertical, however, they are typically vastly larger and can have larger individual units as they are less limited by a building’s shape or size.
The shipping containers are placed in similar rows along roads through the facility, this difference allows for vehicles to drive around the site straight to the units.
Benefits of Outdoor Storage
- Vehicle Access: The use of a larger site allows for roads to be placed for the units to be placed on. This is a benefit because it allows customers to drive their vehicle straight up to their unit for loading/unloading.
- Larger Size: The lack of a building limitation allows for an outdoor site to have larger individual units. Especially if using shipping containers as they can be modified or built to be larger if needed.
- Vehicle Storage: Not many indoor storage facilities, if any, can store vehicles due to the small corridors and indoor structure making fumes and vehicle sizes a problem. Outdoor facilities however, can use their roads and larger units to allow vehicle storage without worrying about ventilation or tight paths.
- Lower Costs: Outdoor facilities avoid the premium costs on inner city real estate and often begin as simple cheap plots of land that are adapted to support roads and storage units. This allows the facility to pass on those savings to its customers in the form of cheaper average rates, especially on larger units.
- Easily Expanded: The often rural location of outdoor storage sites means that if business is good and the demand is there, a site can expand into a nearby or neighbouring plot. Allowing for new units to be added which means that unit availability is often reliable.
- Highly Customisable: Outdoor units can be adapted to have power such as heating, lighting or to support an office, workshop or studio within them. Making them great places for independent businesses.
- Green Energy Options: Exposure to the outside allows for outdoor facilities to take advantage of the weather for possibilities for green energy. Solar panels and wind turbines can be installed on a site, especially very rural sites, to reduce the carbon footprint of the facility and its customers.
Hopefully the differences, downfalls and benefits of the variations of self-storage are now clear. Allowing you to be well informed, and confident in making the right choice for your storage needs.
Indoor storage allows for more comfortable storage at an inner-city location. Outdoor storage is an on average cheaper service with larger units and adaptability.
Each storage facility type has great benefits, however, it is down to you to know which of these benefits you value more. Indoor storage is more expensive
If you still have any questions or are interested in seeing an outdoor facility in person, please do not hesitate to get in touch via our website, office or call us.
0113 426 9111
https://www.twenty4storage.com/contact-us
Twenty4 Secure Storage
Chelsea Close
Leeds
LS12 4HP
