Things That You Can Store Inside A Storage Unit

A storage unit is a structure built for storing items and is usually rented to tenants. Storage is a need that many of us require to give us convenience at home or work. It helps in organizing and spacing, two related factors that affect our everyday lives.

There are many circumstances where renting self-storage can help immensely, but typical reasons include moving and delivery. It supports the logistical needs that arise in those types of situations. Temporary and alternative storage options where you can keep valuables and other assets safe and sound.

If such needs occur in your life, you can rely on storage units for aid. Without prior experience of usage, you may be thinking about what kind of items are usually placed in storage facilities? In this article, you’ll know as it talks about the things you can store inside a storage unit.

Seasonal items

Self-storage is perfect for keeping things that are not essential for everyday use. Those are the so-called seasonal items that you mostly keep inside boxes or containers for months, for some, even years. To avoid consuming space that you can use for additional storage at home or your workplace, you can turn to self-storage.

Common seasonal items that can be placed in a storage unit range from clothes, accessories, holiday decorations, and other seasonal equipment. Big tents for family camping trips or a tall Christmas tree that takes up space in your garage or workshop can be fitted inside your rented storage unit. Old but still fashionable hand-me-down clothes that you only wear for special occasions can also be kept in one, which will open up space for new clothes.

Documents and files

These documents and files don’t only include the ones you deal with at work, but also those for your properties. Keeping a ton of paper can quickly clutter your surroundings, so it’s better if you just keep them all in one place. It’s better for businesses to keep them near your offices; e.g., if your office is in the Philippines, it’s better to find and rent storage in Manila in the nation’s capital.

A storage unit is one of the best places to keep important but non-essential files like item warranties and other financial documents. Prevent clutter and save more space at your workplace or drawers and cabinets at home by renting one to keep those files. Besides that, you also get to organize those files and find them easily.

Electronics and appliances

When it comes to electronics such as gadgets, you can’t easily throw those away, and many of them can still be recycled or sold. The same principle also applies to appliances, which can be repurposed with a little creativity. The best way to address these items is to keep them in storage.

Instead of keeping them in an area at your house where they’ll only consume usable space, putting them inside a self-storage unit is ideal. It’s beneficial if you’re moving to a new residence. If your gadgets and appliances are still functional, you may temporarily stow them away until they serve a purpose again or you feel like using them.

Furniture and art pieces

You can also store furniture inside a storage unit. It only fits since furniture pieces are typically bulky, and you won’t need all that you own. It’s an obvious and easy way to make more room at home.

If you have many art pieces in your possession but only have enough wall space for some decorations, you can temporarily keep them in self-storage. You can make up your mind if you want to sell them or keep them while they stay safe inside one.

Final words

These are only some of the typical stuff that you can store in self-storage like other people. If you decide wisely and use the rental space efficiently, you can add more room at home or your workplace by temporarily storing them inside a unit.

Author’s Bio:

William Ross worked for a storage and logistics company before he finally decided he wanted to pursue his writing career. Today, he writes about the importance of storage facilities and organization, and how this will be the future of the storehouse industry.

DIY Survival Skills: 7 Reasons Why You Should Know How to Weld!

We are quickly moving into a world where people are willing to learn a new skillset for DIY projects. It is not every time that you can afford to hire a professional to carry out any improvement projects in your home. 

Being handy with tools will save you both time and money. One of the most practical skills anyone can learn to help them prepared for anything welding. Interestingly, the best welder for beginners is surprisingly cheaper than most people think. 

While it may seem like a hard skill to learn, welding might not be a challenge for some individuals. Besides, it will equip you with lifelong skills for different survival situations. 

Here are 7 reasons why you should know how to weld:

1. Variety of Real-Life Applications

Welding offers a variety of applications, be it at home or at work. Welding is a versatile field that applies in several industries, from automotive to construction, mechanical, shipping, and even basic home activities like building a BBQ smoker. 

2. DIY Projects 

Rather than relying on a contractor to spruce up your space, you can easily do DIY projects at your own pace using your welding skills. These skills will come in handy whether you want to fix a broken window or change the broken materials within your property. 

Moreover, it will definitely save you money that you would have paid an established welder to eventually do.

3. Understanding the Process 

Managing a DIY project that involves melting metals requires more than just theoretical knowledge. You need to understand the multi process of welding and the necessary tools for a perfect job. 

If you learn how to weld, you will start to understand what’s required to work on any DIY welding projects. It also gives you a better perspective on time management and costs for different welding projects.

4. Learning New Skills

An extra set of skills never hurt anyone, and welding ranks up as one of the survival skills that’s most practical to learn. There are different welding techniques, each with its benefits and applications. Knowing more than one of these techniques will improve your skill set, making you more versatile in the field.

When not using the skill to improve your home's condition, you can use it to help your loved ones spruce up their homes, too.

5. Starting a Business 

Speaking of which, knowing how to weld can be a great source of income. Using your welding skills to help your loved ones is nice, but if you are strapped for cash, need an extra income source, or need a new career path, welding could be the source of that income. 

According to Indeed, the average hourly rate for a welder is $17.90 in the US. That would be roughly $358.00 per month if you dedicated at least 5 hours per week of work. You do not even need to rent a workspace. Your home garage can convert into a home workshop, or you can have a mobile business. 

You can also start a business to teach fellow enthusiasts how to weld through online platforms like blog posts and YouTube videos.

6. Travel Opportunities 

If you love to travel, welding offers plenty of opportunities. Most welding jobs require one to work on-site, meaning traveling from one town to another or even changing states and countries. All you need are the necessary skills and experiences to impress a potential employer, and you’ll get a job and the benefit of a unique travel opportunity.

7. Building a Hobby

For a person who loves creating stuff and running around with ideas, welding can be a great avenue to explore your passions. This could grow into a reliable hobby that provides you an escape space to be by yourself.

Hobbies give us opportunities to challenge ourselves, relieve some stress, stay in the moment, and even learn new things about ourselves. Why not do it with welding and learning a survival skill that you can always depend on in the future?

If you are looking for a challenge, a new hobby, or a side gig to learn, consider taking up welding. It comes with various survival skills, like learning how to fix different items, expands your skillset, and even contributes to a wide variety of money-making opportunities. 

BIO

Hi, my name is Gregory! I have been welding practically all of my life and love it. I like to write about my experiences and help other people become welders. You can learn more about me and my journey at https://www.cromweld.com/

Plumbing 101: Tips Everyone Needs to Know

Plumbing 101: Tips Everyone Needs to Know

Because of the many people occupying commercial buildings, the systems need to function as well correctly. You have different building systems such as electrical wires, plumbing pipes, breaker boxes, etc. You need to have these taken care of most of the time to ensure it won’t cause problems for the people inside the building. 

One part of the building you should keep an eye out for most of the time is the plumbing system. This system supplies water to different parts of the building and assists in draining out the used liquid. You might find it challenging to maintain them because of how complex the entire system is. However, you don’t have to fret because you can follow a few tips and prevent any mishaps from happening. 

Don’t Leave Any Plumbing Issue Unturned

Even if the plumbing issue isn’t too grave, you still have to fix it to ensure it won’t become a severe problem. The best way to resolve all kinds of plumbing issues is to fix them as early as possible. An example is when a minor water leak from water pipes can cause damage its nearest surface, such as ceilings or walls. Another advantage of repairing plumbing issues as early as possible is you won’t have to suffer costly water bills. 

Watch Out for Blocked Drains

People use your building’s restrooms daily, so there’s a possibility that it may clog up at some point. You should have your cleaners inspect the toilet every day. A clogged drain can make dirty water go back up, causing the bathroom and sink drain to get messy. You wouldn’t want this happening, especially when you have a commercial building that’s filled with tons of people every day. To prevent any drains from getting clogged, you need to impose strict rules such as avoid throwing hygiene products in toilet bowls or avoid throwing leftover food in the sink. Once you implement these rules around your building, you can expect less clogged drains from happening in the long run. 

Be Wary When Drilling On Surfaces

You can usually find plumbing pipes behind walls, ceiling, and floor surfaces. In some cases, you need to install wall-mounted shelves in the office, so you hire a contractor to get it done. As they are drilling, they might accidentally hit plumbing pipes. Most of the time, professional contractors need to inspect what’s behind the surface before starting the drilling process. Damaging the pipes isn’t a situation you would not want to happen because it can disturb employees working, causing an abrupt halt to the company’s business. 

Know Where the Shut-Off Valves are Located

In the event of a plumbing problem, you might need to turn off the shut-off valve to prevent water from further spilling. You have to know where your building’s shut-off valves are because your maintenance personnel might not be able to react to the plumbing problem right away. You can even give your employees a heads-up where to locate the shut-off valves so that they know what to do when the time comes. 

Gaining access to several parts of the plumbing system is difficult, especially if they’re behind hard surfaces. To ensure maintenance personnel can access the plumbing system with ease, you need to install an aluminum insulated access door. It will help protect plumbing systems whenever accidents occur inside your building, like fires. 

Guest Contributor: Chris Jackson

How to Check for Plumbing Problems Before Buying a House

To make sure everything is in order before deciding to buy the house you like, check for plumbing problems. Here is how.

How to check for plumbing problems before buying a house

Imagine moving into the home of your dreams. It wasn't easy to find it, especially considering the financial impact of a decision as big as this one. You designed the interior just the way you want, and just when you thought you could relax, you notice water leaking. The seller had managed to hide a critical thing. The property comes with some significant plumbing issues, more severe than the clogged sink drains. Since it's hard to discover these issues during a casual house inspection, you need to pay extra attention to notice them. Here's how to check for plumbing problems before you buy a house.

Address potential difficulties immediately.

Check for plumbing problems and prevent troubles down the road

So, you have gone through the process of buying a house, and you have done everything in your power to make sure everything goes smoothly during moving in. However, you might not have noticed a small plumbing issue that could potentially become a lot more serious in the future. Therefore, checking for pipe problems and dealing with them right away can save you from the inconvenience and a considerable expense. What follows are the things you should check before you make the final decision.

Water and drain lines

It makes sense that water and drain lines are one of the first things to check. Try to find the signs of corrosion on drain lines. This issue might not be the most common, but it can cause a problem. Also, you should check the water lines that you can see for leaks and discoloration. Look under the sink in the kitchen and try to see what these pipes look like. Turn on the faucets and see if the drainage speed is alright. You can even check the water lines that aren't visible. Examine if there are any water stains on the walls or the ceiling. Moldy spots might also be a sign of the same problem. While it's not too expensive to fix leaky pipes, per se, the expenses of repairing the damage can add up.

Fixing the damage is not cheap.

Sewer line

There can be several problems that are related to sewer lines. That's why it's good to have a professional look at it, all the way to the street. It wouldn't be wrong to run a video camera through the line to identify any potential trouble. Clogs, corrosion, or tree roots can lead to problematic smelly issues. However, similar problems might happen due to stinky plumbing, so make sure to check everything if you want to enjoy the pleasant smell of your new home.

Water hardness

When searching for an ideal location for your new home, you'll consider multiple factors. After all, you want to find an area you will enjoy living in, so you need to consider every little thing. And one of the things you will probably neglect to check is the water hardness in their area of your interest. This can have a significant impact on your kidneys but also your pipework. A scale buildup in the pipework can lead to low water pressure and clogs. Look for the sign of scale on the edges of the taps, as they're the result of hard water. You can notice the signs of scale buildup on the exterior of the fixtures. These consequences might become more severe down the road as they might require costly plumbing repairs. On a more positive note, this will allow you some negotiating room. You can try to reduce the price.

Water supply

What you do not want when moving into a dream house is to pay for new supply pipes, in addition to all of the other expenses. So inquire about them. Ask about their age and material to understand how long you can go until replacing them. If the pipes are made from polybutylene or galvanized steel, there's a good chance the replacement is necessary.

Ask about the age of the heater

You should know the age of the water heater in the house. As they usually last about ten years, this information will reveal if the heater will need replacing soon. Also, make sure to assess how much damage potential leaks could cause, keeping in mind the water heater position.

Water pressure

The low water pressure might not seem like the biggest problem, but it's an inconvenience you definitely don't want to deal with. Water pressure that's too high could damage the appliances, starting with the water heater. The best way to test this is to use a pressure gauge to give you a pressure reading. It will tell you if some pipes need unclogging.

One way to check the water pressure.

Check for the signs of water damage

Signs of water damage indicate that there are problems you need to address. These signs can either be obvious or hidden, so you might need to look at every corner of the house to find them. It can be warping, mold, brown stains on the ceiling or walls. Check the toilet and visible pipes. Then check the places where pipes are hidden in walls, in every room you can. Also, pay attention to how the toilet smells. Strong artificial smells might be an attempt to hide a problem. Noticing any sign of similar problems might uncover an issue that can go from a minor inconvenience to a serious problem. Either way, it's good to be aware of it before you buy the property.

Winterized pipes

If you're thinking about buying a house in an area with cold winters, winter maintenance is going to become a part of your annual routine. However, right now, it's necessary to check if the plumbing system was built to handle harsher conditions. Pipes need to be wrapped and insulated. If your house uses well water, the well should also be protected from extreme weather conditions. 

Thorough check

A thorough check is necessary to get a clear indication of the state of the plumbing. Also, this will give you information about the potential costs involved in resolving the possible issues. It might be a good idea to have an experienced plumber check for plumbing problems before you make the purchase, just to be safe.

Guest Contributor: Sophia Perry

A Look At Plumber’s Advice On Buying Water Heaters With a Good Life Span

A look at plumber’s advice on buying water heaters with a good life span

For places with extreme weather conditions characterized by changing temperature, it is advisable to use good water heaters. Most people like winter, but it comes with a lot of other difficulties. Nonetheless, the chilly winter season necessitates investing in water heaters to enable your shivering body to get some warmth. In this case, the decision to buy a water heater relies on some basic questions which you must discuss with your plumber.

An electric water heater has an electric heating unit connected to a 220 Volt circuit. The current in the wire is allowed to pass through the electrical resistance heating component fixed in the tank for heating the water. Moreover, the power gets delivered through a thermostat that controls the temperature of the water. 

The life span of the right water heater usually is eight to twelve years. However, how you use it also determines its life. In recent times, plumbers advised budget-friendly solar water heaters. These water heaters work on the principle of forced circulation and the thermosyphon process. The ETC solar water heater element is solar collectors in the form of tubes and storage tanks. You can seek advice from a plumber to help you buy the right water heater for your home or office. 

The different types of water heaters available in the market that have a good life span: 

Typically water heaters last for a long time, but if you notice any burning smell or unpleasant noise, then you should consult a plumber and change your unit.

Storage water heaters: These water heaters have a capacity of six liters and above and are the classic and most basic form of water heater used for domestic purposes. They are known by the name because there is a storage tank installed inside the appliance. Moreover, it can store hot water for a significant amount of time, even in the absence of electricity, thereby allowing for usage whenever required. Furthermore, the category gets further divided into specific products, which encompass steamer series, steamer plus MS, crystal plus, etc. They have an adequate storage capacity and last for a long time.  

Instant water heaters: These water heaters are high powered appliances which heat water immediately. They are suitable for small bathrooms and kitchens and are very compact in their appearance. Moreover, there are multiple variables; thus, you may do some research before investment. It gets quickly repaired by plumbers. 

Solar water heaters: as mentioned earlier solar water heaters are environment-friendly and an economical option. They usually convert renewable solar energy by using solar thermal collectors into heat. There are different variations in the market; you can choose one depending on your budget and requirement. It is quite a favorite among plumbers because it is a handy heater. 

Immersion rods: the most widely used form of water heaters are immersion rods, which are available cheaper than other alternatives. Moreover, they are handy and a useful method for heating water. They come in compactible size. You can easily accommodate them in your bathroom and kitchen. These immersion rods are a durable option for many. It is quite useful in providing quick heating, and they also come with an indicator light that shows the ideal level of water. It is essential to fill the container with a prescribed water level to avoid accidents. Plumbers do not suggest buying this as it can cause many accidents if not given proper attention though they have a good life. 

Plumbers believe that water heaters are essential equipment for places with a severe cold. While buying a water heater, some specific factors need consideration, which encompasses the size of the family, after-sales services, energy efficiency, type of water, water heater style, pressure pump compatibility, average water heater lifespan, and many more. Discuss these critical factors with your plumber who can help you make a smart purchase; however, you may invest after finding out each variant's key features and life span to avoid going wrong. 

Guest Contributor: Sujain Thomas