At Lutheran Brothers in Detroit, Michigan, we have more than 50 years of warehouse experience, and our warehouses are heated and protected from the winter elements. If you’re shipping or storing goods yourself, we have put together this list of 7 tips to protect warehoused goods in the winter months.

During winter in many parts of the country, your business is tasked with protecting the goods you are shipping and those you have stored in a warehouse. Depending on the types of products you ship, moisture, snow, cold weather and other weather- and winter-related elements can pose a risk to your products.

7 Tips To Protect Warehoused Goods In The Winter

Understand the risks and challenges that winter brings for warehouse storage. Frigid and/or variable temperatures can damage certain materials and components. Humidity and moisture in a storage facility could lead to mold. And if a warehouse facility isn’t secure, you could have pests in the storage area that could harm your projects. Being aware of these risks is the first step in effective winter protection.

To ensure your goods remain safe and intact in a warehouse storage facility during winter, our warehouse professionals at Lutheran Brothers offer this advice.

Tips for winterproofing your warehouse and questions to ask at a potential warehouse facility:

  1. Is the facility temperature-controlled? It should be insulated to maintain a stable temperature. Walls, ceilings and even loading dock areas should be insulated.
  2. How efficient is the heating system? Efficient heating systems prevent freezing temperatures that could damage goods.
  3. What measures do you have in place to control moisture? Dehumidifiers should be used to control humidity levels, especially if storing items prone to mold and mildew.
  4. Have you performed weatherproofing? The windows and doors should be properly sealed to prevent moisture from seeping in.
  5. Do you perform regular inspections to ensure there are no pests? You want to keep your products safe from rodents or insect infestation. Do you regularly inspect the warehouse space? Regular inventory checks ensure the goods you’re going to store in the facility aren’t damaged and that the storage conditions are optimal for your products.
  6. What steps do you have to control, store and manage inventory? Sensitive goods should be stored off the floor and away from areas that are prone to temperature fluctuations and drafts.
  7. What emergency prep procedures are in place? Is there back-up power if the power goes out? Do you have a plan for extreme weather conditions and how you will protect my goods, or do you have an alternate location if your warehouse is not operable?

Before you store your goods, it’s optimal that you tour the facility to make certain your products will be housed in a warehouse that will ensure their continued good condition until they are shipped.

Before you hire a warehouse provider, ask if the facility is ready for winter and what steps have been taken to ensure your products will be safely stored.

When you’re looking for secure, easy-to-access, quality, experienced storage professionals, contact Lutheran Brothers.

If you are looking for clean, secure and economical warehouse space to lease and operate your business in with your own personnel, look no further than Lutheran Brothers in Detroit, Michigan.