The average homeowner has known for a while about the effects of fluctuating climate on entertainment media like photographs, videos, LPs, and cassettes. People have stopped storing these items in their basements and attics and have taken care to preserve them in a better climate-controlled environment.

Here's a look at four professionals who need to do the same with their work items and if using a storage unit, make sure it's climate controlled.

Pharmaceutical Sales Reps

Pharmaceutical sales representatives call on health care professionals to promote medications and offer free samples so patients can try their drugs free of financial risk. Many new or aspiring pharmaceutical reps may not know that the storage of their samples is actually regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Because the climate in which drugs are stored (the temperature and the humidity level) can degrade medications and make them less efficacious, the FDA requires all drugs to be stored within a particular temperature range consistent with their chemical makeup. Physicians accepting pharmaceutical samples should inquire about their storage to make sure they are giving their patients medications that meet with the FDA's regulations.

Wine Collectors

Wine collecting is a popular activity these days, and many storage units have sprung up around the country exclusively for wine storage. If you want to store your collection outside your home, or if you are a restaurateur housing excess inventory, and there is no special wine storage in your area, you need to make sure to find a climate-controlled storage facility.

Ideally, wine should be stored at about 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but anything about 10 degrees on either side of that is acceptable. Likewise, humidity between about 50-80% is okay. Most climate controlled storage units fall in these ranges, but it's best to check to make sure. And if you can reduce vibration and exposure to light, so much the better.

Dealers in Art, Antiques, and Collectibles

Many people who deal in art, antiques, and collectibles periodically have more inventory than they can store in their shops, after a big auction or estate sale. Using a storage facility is a good idea, provided it does not expose your collections to excessively high or low temperatures or moisture.

Rare books and musical instruments are particularly susceptible to damage from temperature fluctuation. To prevent aesthetic damage and loss of tuning in pianos, for example, the target relative humidity for pianos is 42%, which is on the low side. If you must store musical instruments off-site, try to work with your storage facility to provide the extra level of dryness they require.

Manufacturers of Metal Goods, Computers, and Electronics

With commercial real estate being so expensive today, many industrial and technology manufacturers are using off-site storage facilities to warehouse extra goods. If you store items with metal parts, electronics, or computerized mechanisms, they need to be kept well above freezing to prevent warping, condensation, and eventual irreversible loss. Instead of using a garage-style outside storage unit, opt for one with an inside entrance and climate control.

Today many storage facilities are updating their amenities and offering climate controlled units. If you don't have one like this nearby, to protect your assets, it may be worth driving a bit further to find a storage unit that provides the climate control you need. For more help in finding out about storage options, try contacting a company like Allsafe & Storaway Self Storage with any questions you have.