Albuquerque, NM: Top Things to Know About Storage

Albuquerque Festivals and Self-Storage

Have you ever thought about where all the decorations for festivals, parades, and big events go when after the big party ends? Unless the people who put on the events have a large warehouse of their own, they go in self-storage. Albuquerque has many large festivals and events. There’s Summerfest, with entertainment, climbing walls, microbrewed beer, and many artisan goods. In October, there’s the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and those balloons and baskets need to go somewhere the rest of the year. Other events include Gathering of Nations Pow Wow and the New Mexico State Fair. From a self-storage tenant point of view, these festivals mean traffic. When an event rolls around, be it a festival or parade, make sure you know what streets are going to be blocked off and how traffic will get redirected. That way, you can either plan to go to your storage unit on a different day, or at least you’ll know what to expect on the way.

The Importance of Good Security in Albuquerque

Though Albuquerque has fantastic events, good food, a comfortable climate, and more, unfortunately, it also has a problem with crime. Crime in Albuquerque is about twice that of the New Mexico, and more than three times greater than the national average. In general, that means that when out and about, you need to be vigilant and know where the higher crime areas are. For your self-storage, it means you will want to get a place with great security in place. There are many components that make up the ideal self-security system, including gated access, cameras, good lighting, alarms, and more. Ask any facility that you consider renting from about their security system and have a look for yourself when you visit. Our article on storage security systems can teach you exactly what to look for in a secure facility. Keep in mind that the article describes the ideal, and many facilities may be perfectly secure but fall short of our recommendations.

The Environment of Your Storage Unit

Albuquerque summers get hot, but fortunately, it’s a dry heat. Of course, that’s something people say to make it sound like the heat is great. The reality is, whether humid or dry, hot weather just makes you want to stand in a walk-in refrigerator for a while. However, it is definitely good news when it comes to self-storage It means that most items will probably not need climate control, which will save you money every month. However, this comes with a caveat. New Mexico does have a monsoon season that generally lasts between June 15 through September 30. During this time, New Mexico weather gets a little loco with thunderstorms, especially hot days, floods, and humidity. Ask your self-storage facility manager if your unit will be prone to humidity during this time. If not, great! If so, then you may want to opt for climate control.

Insurance

Extreme weather calls for top-notch self-storage insurance. Make sure yours covers wind and flood damage. Wind damage might not be much of a problem if your unit is indoors rather than a drive-up locker, but flood damage is a danger to any unit on the first floor. Read over your insurance contract and ask about flood coverage. If there is none, get some through a separate source. Oftentimes homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will also cover one’s self-storage unit.

Construction

Any city with extreme weather part of the year will need frequent road reconstruction. Albuquerque is no exception. In general, it’s a good idea before you drive very far to check the City of Albuquerque traffic reports. This also applies when you go to your self-storage unit. Road work can impact traffic just as much as festivals, so know what’s going on between you and your storage.