How to prep your car for long-term storage
So, you have decided to store your four-wheeled pet in a storage unit? Thanks to you, your car will certainly remain secure and safe from any damages or mishaps. But, there are things you need to do before you prep your car for long-term storage! Starting with preparing the storage unit, to preparing the car itself. It is not an easy process, but it is not impossible either! We wrote an article that can help you do it in the easiest and efficient way! Follow it through an learn more!
Before you prep your car for long-term storage you need to find a suitable storage unit
The first step you need to make before you even begin thinking of storing your car in a storage unit is to find one! This may be a hard task since there are not that many storage units that can store your car and keep it safe. Most of the times, storage owners do not have the required facilities to store your care, therefore they can’t help you. What you need to do is consult your local storage TX company and see how they can help you! Having a good storage unit at your side means a lot for your car! A good unit will preserve the quality of your car and provide the security it needs at the same time!
Take measures
It is important to know the precise size of the storage unit you are about to rent! This will only help you find the perfect sized storage unit so your car can actually fit in. Don’t forget to take measures of your car first! You should have at least 4 feet between the walls of the storage unit and your car. If you do not have enough space, you might risk up not being able to open the doors of the car or even drive in the storage unit at all. Make sure you take measures before you prep your car for long-term storage! If by any chance you are not certain in your abilities to transfer your car, you can always ask your movers McKinney TX to do it for you! They will certainly take good care of your beloved car and transport it safely!
Prepare your storage unit
There are a number of things you need to do before you put your car in this storage unit. First things first, clean your storage unit! Yes, the dust can heavily damage your car, and sometimes even beyond repair. First, wash the floors with water, then when they dry up, clean whats left of the dust. This why it is important to know how to prepare a storage unit for long term storing.
Also, make sure everything works properly. That includes wiring, fire alarm system, and that there are no leakings. Also, it would be a good idea to have a constant flow of fresh air. Since it will prevent mold from happening and damaging your car. Faulty wirings are a serious issue! They can start fires and other problems within the storage units! Which is why it is important to get them fixed as soon as possible. If you can’t hire someone who knows how to do it, or you have to do it on your own, it doesn’t hurt to know how to fix faulty wiring!
Empty out your car
Since you won’t be using your car anytime soon, you should empty it out from any personal belongings. You really don’t want to leave any important documents when you prep your car for long-term storage! Imagine looking for them around the house, just to remember you left them in your stored car. Make sure you go thoroughly through your car for that kind of items! Next stop is to empty the gas tank and the oil tank. Leaving the oil in your oil tank can lead to a disaster. The oil can dry up leaving it impossible to fix it. And if you leave gas in your gas tank, you risk getting it on fire. Imagine there is a heatwave coming up this summer and your car catches fire. Make sure your gas tank is empty before you store your car!
As we mentioned before, you should also leave the windows a bit open. This will allow the fresh air to flow into your car, preventing mold! If you are wondering, in case you need it, there are ways to deal with the mold in storage units. This is a good thing to know since mold causes a lot of damages to your stored items!
Store it in the storage unit
Once you put your car into the storage unit, make sure you inflate all of your tires. If you let your tires lose air, the whole weight of the car will be on them, thus damaging them further. This is something you need to check regularly and make sure they are not flat. Once you are done with that, you can use tire jacks and lift your car on them. It is a good thing because part of the weight will be redistributed on them. And last but not least, always keep your car covered with the car covers! This won’t allow any dust, possible water, and critters to enter your vehicle.
The same principle can be used when you are about to store your motorcycle into the storage unit. There are a couple of differences but overall, the principle of storing a bike in storage is the same as with the car!
We hope our guide helped you prep your car for long-term storage! As we mentioned before, there are a lot of things you need to take care of first. But, knowing what they are is half the job done. If you have something to add, feel free to leave a comment!