Richmond, VA: Top Things to Know About Storage
Rain or Shine
Richmond has a humid climate, meaning hot and humid summers with temperatures that often reach the high 80s and above. Winter is the opposite, with tons of snow and temperatures regularly dropping below freezing. During the spring and especially in March, it’s common for flooding to occur because of the James River. Hurricanes and tropical storms also like to pay the city a visit, and they cause some damage and heavy rainfall on the way.
If you’re looking to put your belongings in a storage unit, you’ll want to look for a few key things to make sure you have a pleasant experience. First of all, make you rent a unit with climate control. The humid summers are likely to increase the potential of things getting moldy and rusted, so do what you can to prevent that from happening. Second, consider looking for a facility that has covered loading and unloading zones. With all of the hurricanes and storms that hit during the spring, you won’t want a visit to your unit to leave your drenched. Lastly, look into finding a facility that has heated loading and unloading zones as well. In the winter, snow and below freezing temperatures are common, so if you’ll need to make multiple trips to your storage unit during that time, this will make it easier for you to do so. These may seem like very basic things, and they are, but they will really help to ensure that you have a positive storage experience.
Insurance
If you’re storing your stuff in Richmond, it’s very important to get insurance on your belongings for multiple reasons. Some of the biggest include the weather and natural disasters. The city’s summer weather is conducive to growth of mold and mildew, both of which will destroy your belongings. There’s also a high chance of flooding because of the James River, as well as possible leakages because of the constant hurricanes and tropical storms. If any of these things damage your belongings, you’ll be at a complete loss. Instead, insure your belongings so you can at least be compensated in some way.
Insurance policies vary in coverage, so first talk to a facility manager to see what kind of damage has previously occurred. Water, debris, accidents, and natural disasters are obvious ones, but you might want to get into more detail to know exactly what you should look out for.
You can’t always rely on homeowners and renters insurance. They generally cover theft and natural disasters, but don’t cover flooding and mold and mildew, which are some of the biggest concerns you’ll have as a resident of Richmond. You’ll need to talk to your facility manager about what other options you can consider. Most storage facilities offer insurance or can at least tell you where to get it. Overall, homeowners and renter insurance does offer better coverage, so we would recommend going through them.
Once you have decided on your insurance policy, make sure you take an inventory of the items you put in storage. Write down estimated costs of everything, and you might want to get certain things valued by a professional so it’s not hard to make insurance claims if some unforeseen damage or loss occurs.
Once you take these steps, you’ll feel much better about leaving your things in storage, whether it be long term or short term.
Vroom, Vroom
The residents of Richmond definitely love cars, especially NASCAR races that take place twice a year. The Richmond International Raceway hosts two NASCAR races a year—one in April and one in September. These are both very busy times for the city because everyone is preparing for the event. Famous domestic and international drivers come every year, and thousands of fans attend the event.
These are some amazing cars that need to be well maintained and protected from both the weather and theft. NASCAR drivers definitely need a place to store their cars for the duration of the event, but in general, you might need to store your car for some time and may not know how to go about doing it. There are some basics that you should be aware of when you’re putting your car in storage, and we can walk you through those so you know exactly what to do.
There are a few different types of spaces in which you can store your car. You can get an outdoor space or covered outdoor space, which is good for large vehicles and short-term storage, but only for cars that aren’t too expensive. This is the most affordable option but provides the least protection from the elements, and there are fewer security features than indoor spaces.
You can also consider a drive up garage space. The basic structure of this type of space helps with protection from the elements and provides additional security. The best space for your car, especially if it’s a classic or collector car, is a drive up interior space. This is a space within a larger building, and it’s costly because of climate control, but it’s definitely worth it if you really want to protect your car.
Make sure your vehicle will fit into the space that you have chosen. If you plan to use your vehicle frequently, store closer to the facility entrance so going in and out is easier, and there’s less of a chance for accidents.
If you’re storing outside, purchase a cover for some protection from the weather. For a classic or collector car, you might want to consider putting a carpet down in an indoor space.
Besides all of this, there are some basic rules that you need to follow to put your vehicles into storage. Your vehicle must be registered and insured, and you have to provide proof of each. You are not allowed to use a storage unit as a workshop, or you will be kicked out! Lastly, your vehicles must be in drivable condition and the tires must be inflated.
If you follow all of these steps to store your car, it’ll remain safe, intact, and ready to race in your next NASCAR race or if you just want to take it out for a spin.
