Climate control – Page 2

Dino’s Storage offers “EATING HEALTHY” tips!

Several polls and studies show one of the most common new year resolutions are to eat healthier (another common one is loosing weight). Unfortunately, these are also two resolutions most commonly not kept. So if your resolution is to eat healthier, this may help you keep it and make sure you are doing it right.

5 FOODS YOU ARE EATING WRONG

(How to cut, cook & sip for the most health benefits)

Choosing whole foods over supplements or fresh produce instead of processed potato chips is a no-brainer. But how to cook those foods to get the most bang for your buck isn’t always as obvious. Should you make enough salad for the whole week? Is it better to blend fresh or frozen fruit in a smoothie? Which is ideal: steaming or boiling your vegetables?

The short answer is that the healthiest cooking and prep methods change from food to food. “Heat, water, storage and exposure to air can all cause certain foods to lose their nutrients”, says Mary Cluskey, Ph.D, R.D., associate professor of nutrition at Oregon State University.

Vegetables

Your mistake: Microwaving or boiling them

The fix: Steaming

Why it works: Steaming helps retain cancer-fighting nutrients in broccoli better than other cooking methods, reports a new study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Sulforaphane (a plant compound with strong anti-cancer properties) is abundant in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale and arugula. The enzyme myrosinase is necessary to release the compound, but most cooking methods destroy it. Steaming is a slower, gentler heat, and isn’t intense enough to kill myrosinase, explains study author Elizabeth Jeffery, Ph.D. – Cook broccoli in a steaming basket for 3 to 4 minutes for the biggest cancer-fighting boost.

Strawberries

Your mistake: Slicing them before eating

The fix: Eating them whole

Why it works: Whole strawberries contain 8 to 12 percent more vitamin C than the cut fruits, according to a 2011 Brazilian study. That’s because vitamin C begins to break down when it’s exposed to light and oxygen. For the biggest C boost, store whole strawberries in the fridge – cool temperatures help retain vitamin C, too, finds the same study.

Wine

Your mistake: Letting a bottle “breathe”

The fix: Sipping a freshly opened bottle

Why it works: When red wine is decanted for long periods of time (up to 12 hours) the organic acids and polyphenols begin to break down, according to a 2012 Chinese study. Leaving the bottle open overnight nixes the usual benefits of a glass of red, including decreased depression, increased testosterone and a healthier heart.

Tomatoes

Your mistake: Eating them raw

The fix: Heating them up

Why it works: Tomatoes have been linked to lowering men’s risk of stroke, helping fight prostate cancer and preserving brain power with age. Heating tomatoes significantly increases their levels of lycopene, the chemical that can up antioxidant levels. In fact, a recent study in The British Journal of Nutrition found that raw foodists (people who eat mostly uncooked produce) were deficient in lycopene. Cook tomatoes in olive oil for the biggest nutritional boost: Lycopene is fat-soluble, meaning you need fat in your diet for your body to absorb it properly.

Frozen produce

Your mistake:Skipping the frozen food section when shopping

The fix: Hit the freezers

Why it works: “Most people think only fresh is healthy, but this is a huge misconception,” says Cluskey. In fact, U.K. scientists found that in two out of three cases, frozen fruits and vegetables packed higher levels of antioxidants (including polyphenols, vitamin C and beta-carotene) than the fresh kind. As produce ages, nutrients begin to change and break down, says Cluskey. It’s therefore better to eat food that was frozen at prime ripeness with its nutrients intact than week-old produce that no longer has the same beneficial chemical makeup.

Happy Holidays From Bellevue’s Dino’s Storage!!

The end of the year is rapidly approaching and its time to go through the paper work from the past year and put them in a secure place. We have units available in smaller sizes in climate control if you are looking to store just the important papers that you don’t want to lose or get damaged.

We also have larger units for your business needs. If you need to store paperwork from past clients or customers that you need to save but do not need daily access. We have the units available that allow you the room to store them whether in boxes, shelves, or in file cabinets.

Happy Holidays from the Managers at Bellevue Dino’s Storage. Remember to take the time to enjoy your family and loved ones at this festive time of year.

HELP DINO’S STORAGE RESTOCK THE FOOD BANK

As you may know from previous blogs, it’s important to our owner of Dino’s Storage to serve and contribute to and within the community. So one of the things he encourages the individual facility managers to do is run specials at our storage facilities that help non-profit and charity organizations.

So this month at the Center St (Midtown) facility I am running the following special:

HELP US RESTOCK THE FOOD BANK!!

Donation of 5 items gets you $5.00 off the monthly rate for a 10×5 unit.

Donation of 10 items gets you $10.00 off the monthly rate for a 10×10 unit.

Don’t have time to go to the store? Monetary donations of $5.00 and $10.00 can also be made directly to the Food Bank at http://www.foodbankheartland.org

Offer valid only once, applies to new move-ins only, and items or receipt must be presented at time of lease signing.

MOST NEEDED ITEMS ARE:
peanut butter, crackers, canned fruit, canned vegetables, macaroni & cheese, pancake mix, cereal, pasta sauce, pasta, canned soup, canned meat, pork & beans,
hamburger helper & other boxed meals

ALL DONATION GO DIRECTLY TO THE FOOD BANK FOR THE HEARTLAND.

The Midtown location is an indoor, multilevel, climate & humidity controlled facility with 5×5 – 10×20 size units available. Facility amenities include 24/7 access, digital camera surveillance, and individual coded access to the building.

Kerry Lambert – Property Manager

5328 Center St – Omaha, NE 68106

(402) 504-4600

Dino’s FAQ’s

The majority of the customers we serve have never used storage before. Here is a quick and simple guide to some of our most frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ page. http://dinosstorage.com/omaha/faq_omaha.html.

Hello

Hello, my name is Jill Mundt. I am the new assistant at the 2nd Avenue and SE 14th Dino’s Storage locations in Des Moines, Iowa. I am happy to be your storage counselor and assist you during your transition. We have multiple unit options available from drive-up to indoor, climate control to non-climate control and various sizes at our convenient locations. We also sell locks, boxes, and packing supplies at both of our locations to help with your moving needs. At Dino’s Storage we take great pride in our customer service and we look forward to providing a positive experience for all of our tenants. We offer military, senior, and student discounts. All of our leases are month to month and we do offer discounts if you pay 6 or 12 months in advance. Both of our well maintained locations have 24/7 unit access as well as security cameras throughout the facilities. We also provide free use of flat carts to making loading and unloading a breeze. At Dino’s Storage we offer flexible payment options such as online and automatic payments. Our climate control units are true climate control with air, heat, and dehumidifiers. Our offices are open 5 days a week, but we would be happy to email, mail, or fax a lease if you are unable to rent your unit in person. I look forward to showing you around our great facilities and as always, thank you for choosing Dino’s Storage.

TEMPERATURE CONTROL / CLIMATE CONTROL / HUMIDITY CONTROL-WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

The world of public storage is changing; and just as with everything else, you now have multiple choices. It can be hard to know what you need if you don’t know what it all means. Temperature control and climate control are basically the same thing. Many people make the mistake of thinking climate control means humidity control; but they are actually two different things.

Climate controlled storage spaces (also known as “temperature controlled” ) are cooled in the summer and heated in the winter. Severe hot or cold weather can damage items in storage units over a period of time. Things like wood furniture, electronics & media, wax, vinyl records, appliances, photos, & paintings tend to warp, crack, split, discolor. Most climate control facilities maintain a steady temperature of 50-80 degrees. As a general rule, the temperature in a climate-controlled storage unit should not fall below freezing in the winter or rise above 90 degrees in the summer. If the temperature in the region you live exceeds 90 degrees in the summer but does not freeze in the winter, air-conditioning would be a viable option to consider. Same with only extreme cold temperatures – a heated storage unit would work well. If your area experiences both extreme hot and cold temperatures, climate control is a definite must.

Humidity controlled storage spaces control and reduce humidity. Moisture and mold are two of the leading causes of damage. The best way to protect against humidity is to keep the air from going stale. Humidity controlled facilities are equipped with humidifiers that constantly circulate the air and reduce the amount of actual water vapor. Humidity is measured by percent. Between 25% – 45% is dry and 50% – 75% is normal. Most humidity controlled facilities keep the environment at no less than 40% and no more than 70%. This is the perfect choice of storage environments if you are storing musical instruments, fine furniture, electronics & media, paintings, fabrics, photos, irreplaceable items like precious family heirlooms or memorabilia, business documents and papers. It is especially important to choose this type of storage facility if you live in an area which has moderate to high humidity levels combined with high and or low temperatures. This is because the damaging effects of extreme temperatures on your belongings are multiplied when moisture is in the air as well.

Dino’s Storage facilities offer the comfort of climate control with the benefits of humidity control in one space. So you can rest assured that your valuables are secure in the best storage environment available.

IS MY STUFF INSURED?

This is a question I get occasionally while helping people with their storage needs. Or some people don’t even think to ask about insurance coverage; they’ve never used storage before and it doesn’t occur to them to ask.

And most are surprised when I say the answer is No, ANY storage facility will tell you they do not insure the items you put in the building. In no way, shape, or form can we be responsible for the items in the facility. In the event of a tornado, fire, flood, storm damage, theft, etc, etc.; the proper insurance coverage is the responsiblity of the tenant. It’s similar to renting a home, apartment, or business space. Your landlord doesn’t insure your belonging in your apartment and a storage facility can’t insure your belongings in your storage space.

I always tell my new tenants if you have homeowner’s insurance don’t just assume your things are covered while in storage; every policy is different and some only cover contents that are in the actual home. So when you move those contents out the home and into a storage unit; you may have 10% of your policy coverage for those items; or worse yet, no coverage at all!! I advise calling your agent and asking about something called “off premise policies”. Tell them “these items are going into a storage facility, do I have my FULL policy coverage?”. Depending on your individual policy, you may need to add some sort of renter’s rider or additional coverage.

A general renter’s policy will most times be sufficient to cover your belongs in storage, but again, every policy is different. So if you haven’t, it is still a good idea to call your agent and make sure you have proper coverage.

While Dino’s Storage itself doesn’t insure your belongings; we do work with a company that does. Bader Company is a storage insurance company that offers month to month policies, same as your storage lease. If you don’t have existing coverage for your storage unit, don’t want to shop a policy on your own, or simply want additional coverage; ask your manager; it’s simple and the premium can be added to your monthly storage rent. If it’s worth storing, it’s worth insuring!!

Contact Kerri at Center St for current specials this month, 402-504-4600 or Centerst@dinosstorage.com

STORAGE IS MOVING UP IN THE WORLD

I’ve noticed when some people inquire about public storage and I say “I’m a……multi level facility…” they say “Multi level? Do you have anything available on the 1st floor?”. But there are several great advantages to being high in the sky and Dino’s Storage will change how you may feel about a multi level building.

When Dino’s laid out the plans for our buildings we thought about our customers and did it better than some in the past, we installed elevators!! I had someone ask me once “Do you have elevators?”. Apparently they had used a multi level facility in Arizona and had to lug their belongings up stairs. I said “Yes we have elevators, not only do we have elevators; we have large freight elevators that will easily accommodate any big furniture pieces. You can even fit items loaded and wrapped on pallets. We also have flat carts available to our tenants for loading and unloading (yes, furniture fits on them too). Save your back and stop lugging heavy boxes. Just put them on a cart, step into the elevator, and roll your way down the aisles.

If you’ve ever used regular ground level storage you’ve probably had a manager or owner tell you “..to ensure you don’t come back to damaged belongings, it’s a good idea to put your stuff on pallets or up on boards and not directly on the concrete floor”. This is for several reason; but one is concrete is a porous material. When the ground is cold and the temperature in the unit is hotter, concrete can sweat. Which means condensation will collect on the floor (kind of like the tank on your toilet when you take a hot shower, or the windows in your car). So if your nice wooden furniture or cardboard boxes are directly on the concrete floor eventually it will wick up this condensation and can warp. This will not happen when you are off the ground.

Another concern with regular ground level storage is rodents. No matter what precautions you and/or the facility take; rodents can, and sometimes do find their way in. Especially in the winter. It’s cold outside and they scurry around the ground seeking shelter; as sometimesthat shelter is in your unit. Hey if you’re not on the ground you don’t have to worry!!

So when your thinking about what you want in a storage facility, set your sights a little higher. Once you store on the penthouse levels, you will want to stay there. And the best part is Dino’s doesn’t charge any extra for it, it’s just as affordale as the ground floor!!

Contact Kerry the Property Manager at Dino’s Storage in midtown Omaha for multi level climate control storage specials #402-504-4600, Centerst@dinosstorage.com

Quick Dino’s Storage Storing Tips

Storage tips:

Many people ask “how should I store my mattress as far as side or flat?” Storing your mattress in a breathable plastic bag will protect it from the elements. Here at Dino’s Storage we sell a wide range of breathable mattress bags and totes. Avoid storing your mattress in a thick plastic cover, as this will encourage condensation. Breathable plastic is enough to protect it from mold, dust and allergens while keeping it moisture-free. Mattresses are not meant to sit in storage for years, even with proper protection. In addition throw in a few laundry softener sheets for a nice scent. The retail stores have them on the sides so I don’t see a problem storing the same way as long as the mattress is a well constructed one. You can always come to you storage area and rotate the mattress also.

Above Standards for Physical Presence

Dino’s Storage mission is to engage with the life events of the customer while providing a physical presence that speaks to the needs of the customer. I can personally tell you our team of employees at Dino’s Storage holds above the rest, standards for the physical presence of their location. Below is an experience from our 2nd Ave location in Des Moines, Iowa, the property manager Amanda shared with me:

“I had a gentleman come in today to check the rates while I was in the middle of cleaning windows. I said, “sorry for the Windex smell that is consuming the office”. He said, “no no, that is fine and just seeing you clean like you are, makes me want to rent from you and not go back to your competitor”. The gentleman left as a Dino’s Storage customer”

Contact Amanda at our 2nd Ave location in Des Moines, Iowa to see for yourself our above the rest standards for the physical presence. Phone 515-280-5060, Email 2ndave@dinosstorage.com.