Preventing Mildew Growth In Commercial Document Storage Units
If your company is required to store paper records for a long period of time by law or a regulatory agency, then it is important that you protect the documents from mildew damage while they are in a commercial storage unit. Mildew can be a serious problem for books and documents that are stored in dark and damp areas for a long period of time.
To protect your company's documents from growing mildew while they are in storage, follow this procedure:
Circulate Fresh Air into the Storage Unit
If the last occupants left your new commercial storage unit with a funky smell, then you should do everything you can do get some fresh air into the space and air it out before placing your document boxes inside. Even without a smell, the more air you can circulate into the area the better. The easiest way to accomplish this is to place a household fan inside the unit and run it every time you visit to retrieve documents or store new boxes. Point the fan out the door and allow it to send the stale air out and let the fresh air flow in.
Use Vented Boxes
To help keep your documents free from mildew, you should store your documents in banker's boxes with vent holes located along the sides. The ventilation holes allow the air in your document storage unit to circulate around the papers contained within the boxes. The air will assist with preventing moisture buildup within the boxes that can lead to mildew growth.
You should not store books or paper documents in plastic containers because they do not breathe and can contain moisture, and provide a favorable habitat for the growth of mildew spores.
Add Desiccant Packets into Document Boxes
Into each document box, you should place a desiccant packet. Desiccant packets contain silicate materials that are able to absorb a lot of moisture compared to their relatively small size. Placing an inexpensive desiccant packet into each box will help remove any humidity that makes it into the box from the surrounding air.
You can purchase desiccant packets at any moving supply company where you can purchase moving boxes. In addition, you can purchase larger boxes of desiccant material at any home improvement store. The desiccant boxes are generally used to remove moisture from household basements and will be found near the dehumidifiers.
Consider Renting a Climate Controlled Commercial Storage Unit
Finally, since it is essential for you to protect your company's documents from mildew growth, you may want to consider renting a storage unit that is climate controlled. Climate controlled commercial storage units are kept at a steady temperature and humidity level.
Contact a service like All American Mini Storage to learn more.