Will you pay more for secure self storage? If so, why? What does “secure self storage” even mean? Aren’t all storage spaces secure and safe?
These are questions which demand answers because self storage is a service which millions of Americans use each year, a service which, by its very nature, means security and protection of your belongings. In this article, an eye-opener for many, we will give you insider information about the self storage industry and what you should be looking for in secure self storage? We will also touch on the cost of that security.
We are Mouser Self Storage, serving South Fort Worth, Alvarado, and Johnson County from our location in 917 Industrial Park. Call us at 682-800-3949 for more information about current pricing.
What does secure self storage even mean?
Secure self storage simply means your belongings and your valuables, and your household possessions are safe while in storage, safe from theft, safe from vandalism, safe from rodents and insects and the ravages of inclement weather. It is, in fact, assumed that all storage companies offer secure storage, an assumption which is wrong.
Don’t all storage places offer it?
No, they do not!
In order for a self-storage business to be secure, it must meet four criteria. They are:
- A complete fenced exterior with only one access gate for ingress/egress.
- Video monitoring of the entire storage facility.
- On-site management.
- Individualized, computerized access cards, unique for each customer, for the access gate and for the individual storage units.
Any place offering all four levels of security is secure; any place offering only three levels of security, or two, or heaven forbid, one, is not safe no matter what they may claim in their advertising.
That is insider information you will not hear from all storage companies. We share it with you simply because our own company, Mouser Self Storage, has all four levels, and we believe all self-storage companies should offer it. Secure means secure; it does not mean almost secure, or 75% secure. If you are going to advertise secure, then you need to deliver secure to your customers.
Will you pay extra for it?
The quick answer is yes, you will pay for it, but the increase in rental fee will hardly be worth mentioning, simply because the added cost can be dispersed among the thousands of customers seen each month.
Yes, it does cost a storage company more money to have on-site personnel/management 24/7. Yes, security cameras, and monitoring, cost extra. Yes, fencing the perimeter costs thousands and yes, computerized “keys” cost more than traditional metal keys.
Still, despite the extra costs, the most you can expect in increased rental costs might be $5 per month for the storage unit you rent. Using our own company for an example, our monthly rental fees are competitive and in line with the other Fort Worth storage units, and we offer what we claim to offer, secure storage solutions.
How will you find out who offers truly secure storage? Call around. It might seem like a tedious way to spend time, but we are talking about valuable property you want to store, and that value demands that you do your due diligence.
A final word about Mouser Self Storage.
Mouser Self Storage and our sister company, Blue Mound 287 Self Storage, in Haslet, are locally owned and operated. Call us and ask us about our car storage, RV self storage, boat storage units, small hobby shops, and storage units for your household possessions.