If you plan on putting computers, televisions, stereos, or other belongings into a storage facility, you'll need a little more than the standard shed with roll down doors. Climate control, cleanliness, and security are at the top of your list, and you need to know which features need to be checked at a deeper level for competence. Here are a few things to watch out for when selecting a storage facility to make sure your electronics are in good working order when you retrieve them.

Security Features for Valuable Belongings

Unless you're leaving some rickety old furniture and some random clothing in the storage room, you'll want a bit of security to go with your extra space. This means more than a few cameras.

Inactive, broken, or simply fake cameras can be installed as deterrents with surprisingly decent results, but that's not good enough when your belongings have value. When checking a security-boasting storage facility, ask to see a recording. Check a few days back to see if the recording is rarely done or not done at all, and ask for a copy of the surveillance.

For best results, visit the storage facility a day or two before asking about the cameras. Take not of the date and time, then ask to see the corresponding footage when you check the recordings. If you're not anywhere in the video, find another facility.

Copies should be in some reasonably modern format. Discs such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays are acceptable, as are USB drives--although you'll want to make sure the format isn't limited to Windows (Microsoft) or Mac (Apple) computers. VHS cassettes/tapes shouldn't be in circulation as they're an outdated way of storing information.

Climate Control and Avoiding Electronics Damage

Two big problems can damage the internal components of electronics in storage: dust and corrosion. To make matters worse, the two can combine to make a dirty, hard to clean mess that could damage the system during cleaning.

To avoid both problems, a well-maintained air conditioning system is necessary. This means that the air ducts need to be clean and the filter needs to be changed in a timely manner.

Inspect the storage facility's air conditioning units to make sure that the filter isn't damaged, clogged, or completely missing. A damaged filter will allow dust additional dust and filter buildup to enter at a slow rate, while a clogged filter reduces air quality by making the air conditioning unit work harder.

Contact a full service storage facility like Affordable Transfer Co Inc. to discuss features and cleanliness standards to keep your electronics safe over long term storage.