As mentioned in part 1, facility staff maintaining storage units in Longmont and elsewhere occasionally discover people attempting to live inside their storage units. In part 1 we discussed legality, temperature, and building codes. Continuing on:
Getting Locked In
While our staff is particularly diligent in their "walk-throughs" and investigating all suspicious units—such as those which are closed and without a lock—there is always a small chance that some combination of factors such as a sleeping or incapacitated and hidden occupant will cause that occupant to end up locked inside their unit. Depending on the conditions inside the unit, including temperature and airflow, a person may not survive until they are discovered at some later time. This a very real threat that should deter anyone from even considering shutting themselves inside a storage unit. If you are inside your unit, the door should be open.
Lack of Facilities
Our storage units do not have light or running water, making them extremely unsuitable for the maintenance of basic hygiene among other fundamental requirements of daily life. Waking up inside of a pitch black storage unit may disrupt circadian rhythm and cause disorientation, resulting in negative downstream effects to energy levels and general daily functioning. A person attempting to live inside of a storage unit will most likely notice moderate to extreme consequences to their mental and emotional state—and quicker than expected.
Natural Disasters and Air Quality
At the time of this writing, the air quality in the Longmont area has been poor due to wildfires. In a storage unit with little to no ventilation, this problem is exacerbated even further. And in the same vein as wildfires, there are other natural events such as flooding which may pose a risk to the community, and especially to those members attempting to live inside of storage units without proper escape routes.
This concludes part 2 of our series on why residing in a storage unit should never, ever be attempted! If you need a storage unit for a more legitimate reason, contact AAA Storage at 303-776-3629 or browse our units online.