Regular maintenance of your self-storage property is vital to the success of your business. A well-maintained property attracts customers against competition who don’t take care of the property. The perception of run-down facilities is that while they may be less expensive to rent, it’s not taken care of and may be less secure. If a customer has to choose between two facilities nearby, the decision will come down to price and curb appeal. With that in mind, here are the top 5 maintenance issues to address in self-storage property maintenance.
- The roof
- The doors
- The lighting
- The technology
- The parking areas
Maintain the roof
From a customer standpoint, the roof can be difficult to see from the street. Roof maintenance should not be neglected just because it’s difficult to see. Regular cleaning, soft washing, and debris removal from your self-storage business are necessary for several reasons. Debris can puddle in lower areas of a roof and cause stains or water spots. This can be an ugly cosmetic issue, but puddled water can also promote rust, mildew, or mold depending on the roof composition and location of the puddles. Certain types of roofs may have screws and joints located fairly closely together. Those joints can also rust, tighten, and loosen in various climates. As a result, a self-storage business can end up with roofing leaks that put customers’ belongings at risk of damage.
Debris removal is necessary to keep critters away from your property. Debris piled up in a corner of a roof provides a warm spot for small animals to hide away. The presence of critters can attract more to make their home on your property. Self-storage constantly fights an uphill battle with pests anyway, so it’s imperative to remove debris from property that would provide a home to pests or birds.
Maintain the doors
Consider the garage door on your house. Regular maintenance is necessary to keep it in good working condition. The same is true for all of the access doors to the self-storage units on a property. Doors should be functioning properly before a tenant moves in or out. Additionally, the paint should be kept fresh regularly. The doors in use should be safe, sturdy, and free of debris as well. Remove cobwebs, grass, and dust to ensure proper functionality of the door.
Maintain the lighting
Regular inspection of the property lighting should be done to ensure that no bulbs are burned out or broken. Depending on the property type – interior climate-controlled self-storage or exterior self-storage – inspections will include all lighting inside and out. Interior lighting should be retrofitted with LED lights that will burn bright and last longer. Don’t neglect the parking lot lighting of your property. These lights provide essential security to deter unwanted visitors. Any damaged or burned-out bulb should be replaced immediately.
Maintain and update technology
As more customers prefer a contactless experience, self-storage owners are wise to consider retrofitting their units over time. It can be cost-prohibitive to do it all at once, so a staggered approach is financially responsible in this situation. For example, if you decide to move to using smart lock technology which we covered in the last blog post, start by replacing 10 units with smart locks. These units can command a higher price because of the ease of use – you only need your smartphone! That can be a selling point when new customers are considering your property. As those units become full, another set of units can be updated.
Maintain the parking areas
The parking areas should be clean at all times. If trash receptacles are available to tenants, it’s essential to empty them daily to avoid attracting pests or people who want to dig in the trash. If there are low spots in the ground, those need to be filled. Keep windows clean and the office space bright and cheery. Adding flowers is a nice touch if they can be maintained.
Self-storage is a great investment opportunity. If you already are in the business, you know it is both financially rewarding and it is also a great community of business owners in which to be involved. Our passion is working with clients looking to grow their businesses. Our expertise enables us to make the process as easy as possible. Our team of experts would love to work with you on your next investment. Call us today at 904-591-0140 to find your next self-storage property.