How to Properly Maintain Your Shipping Container So It Can Last You A Lifetime
Shipping containers are naturally built to handle extreme temperatures and conditions like those of the open sea. Although, this does not mean they are indestructible and with time they will of course weaken, but it’ll be a slow process for sure. We of course reccomend that you take actions to slow down the degredation that comes with time, if you do your container will be useful for a much longer time. Even when loading them, you need to be mindful of your spacing and weight distribution.
The big things we can reccomend right off the bat are following International best practices when loading the shipping containers. Avoid overloading shipping containers to keep from damaging the containers’ structural integrity. Using the right methods to load shipping containers to keep them from being damaged on the inside. Keep a watchful eye over your container in general, look for any rust, damaged spots, anything at all out of the ordinary.
Do Not Put Anything Heavy on the Container’s Roof
Yes most often when you see containers they’re stacked up, so you assume they have strong roofs. But empty containers are light, relatively speaking, so they’re not putting much pressure on the actual top of the container. The corners of shipping containers are very strong, which enables them to be stacked but the middle part of the container roof is very weak. You should not stack anything on this part of the shipping container even if you feel like you need the space. Putting additional weight to the weak area of the roof makes it even weaker and opens the container up to damage and moisture potentially.
Ensure Your Container is Clean
Proper container maintenance includes cleaning out dirt and dust when you can. This also reduces the risk of your container breaking down any faster. This does not mean thoroughly scrubbing down the shipping container every time you’re near it. Just get rid of any loose buildup and keep things fairly clean, you don’t want to put your stuff inside a dirty container do you?
Lubricating the Hinges
The hinges of a storage container can become hard to deal with due to stiffness and this might lead you to start forcing the hinge just to get the door open. This can lead to damage to the hinges. Once you lubricate the hinges of your storage container, you reduce the risk of damage significantly. It also makes it easier to open the container doors and makes it easier to move. This is as simple as a good squirt of WD-40 every few months max for most cases.
Store Shipping Containers on Level Ground
This is one of the most important things to consider for proper shipping container care. You should always keep your shipping container on level ground. If you do not have anywhere to keep your storage container, look into getting a part of your yard leveled. If you are looking for somewhere to keep it, you may have to hire or buy somewhere to store your shipping container. A level base for your shipping container helps to prevent the formation of puddles under the container resulting in corrosion and bending due to weight of the container itself. It also helps to ensure the container doors can close and open without any hindrances.
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