Storage Vaults
Vaults are popping up at self storage facilities near you and everywhere. They’re these self contained… container units kind of like the PODS, but different.
We’ve put together some of the pros and cons of these vaults and compared them to traditional self storage as well as to the PODS you might already familiar with.
Pros
What They Offer
- Raised off the ground
Vaults are less susceptible to water damage than traditional storage because they aren’t at ground level. They’re raised up just enough to give them a level of protection against water from storms or from a leak in a neighboring unit.
- Isolated from neighbors
Like the popular Pods or cubes, these are completely independent units and if there’s a spill, or mold, or even just a smell from a neighboring unit it’s not going to affect your unit or any other units.
- Fully enclosed
Vaults are encapsulated from top to bottom. Some traditional storage facilities have “open tops” where they might have a caged ceiling. This can allow pests and smells to get into your stuff. That can’t happen with vaults.
- Fire Resistant
Vaults have a full steel construction that makes it a storage sized strongbox. For this reason they are naturally fire resistant.
- Ventilation
Small air vents help to prevent high humidity from damaging your belongings. There’s a mesh covering on these to keep out unwanted small pests. And the vents are too small for any larger animals to even get into.
Cons
What’s Not Offered
- Lack of climate control
Because these vaults are individually constructed (which is great) they don’t have their own climate control system so they will be hot in summer and cold in winter.
- Not portable
Unlike some other constructed storage units you’ve seen you won’t be getting these delivered to your home and you will probably still need a truck to move your things.
- Single story
You generally won’t find these in tall buildings as their size and construction pretty much limits them to a single story. This is both a pro and a con though. Pro because ground level is easier to move in and out of. Con if you think the second floor offers better protection from theft.
- No electricity
Not a big deal for most people, but if you absolutely need electricity inside your storage unit then these are not the ones for you.
Optional Sizes
The vaults come in a standard size that is 8 feet front to back and 20 feet wide. Vaults can be divided into two or more individual units for those of us who don’t want or need to rent the entire size of an 8×20 foot unit. There is an available 8×10 and even some 8×5 sizes. This does introduce you to having a shared container, but it’s a fair compromise to have a small number of neighbors while still getting the benefits of having an individual container. Divided vaults are separated by a steel wall from floor to ceiling and of course you will have your own door and lock.
Tips & Tricks
Some vaults have connectors on the doors that hold the door open while you’re loading your things inside. These are super handy and can prevent the door from swinging closed in the wind and injuring someone. You do have to be careful that you disconnect this before you try closing the door though.
Who are storage vaults for?
A self storage vault is for anyone who wants a little more separation between your storage unit and the unit next to yours. If fire resistance or pest resistance is an issue that’s important to you you might want to look into getting a vault.
Who are vaults not for?
If you need climate control because you’re storing sensitive things then you are definitely going to want to upgrade to a dedicated climate controlled unit. Climate controlled units are not as cheap, but then again, neither is your stuff.
Conclusion
All in all a storage vault does answer a lot of concerns that traditional storage might have. What they lack in features like climate control, they make up for in peace of mind knowing that your belongings won’t be at risk of damage from a leaky building, neighboring unit, or pests.
Storage vaults are popping up in a lot of self storage facilities. If you think they are the right choice for you then check out our locations to see if we have self storage near you.
There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a storage unit for your things. We can’t make the choice for you, but hopefully we gave you the info you need so you can make that choice for yourself.