3 Essential Features to Focus on When Inspecting Shipping Containers for Hire

If recent statistics are anything to go by, then about 53% of all businesses use shipping containers to save on operation costs. It might explain why most business owners hire shipping containers for storage purposes rather than rent brick and mortar space. However, the savings you make by hiring a shipping container only pays off if the shipping container in question is in good condition. If the container is in poor condition, then you will be exposing your valuables to the elements. Before renting, ensure that you inspect shipping containers thoroughly. This article highlights the various areas you should focus on. 

Door Gaskets -- Since you need your materials to stay dry and secure throughout the storage period, then you require a watertight shipping container. The container's door gaskets are thus the best place to start your inspection exercise since the components are a great indicator of how waterproof a container is. As airtight seals between a container's walls and its door, the gaskets assist to keep water out, but only if the gaskets are in optimal condition. If the gaskets are worn, then it is difficult to keep moisture out. During an inspection, ensure that the door gaskets do not have signs of tears and that the rivets have not deteriorated from rust. Most importantly, the door should be easy to open and still maintain a tight seal. 

Floor -- The floor of a shipping container is made of steel cross members onto which a wooden platform sits, and the condition of the steel structures determines the safety of your goods. The steel cross members should be sturdy enough to allow for safe lifting by a forklift. The wooden platform should be straight across the interior of the container. Notably, a warped floor is an indication of moisture infiltration, and you should move on to the next container. Additionally, ask a service provider to lift the container to inspect the underside for possible deterioration. Any holes or rusting is enough to make you stay clear of a shipping container. 

Roof -- Did you know that you can tell the condition of a container's roof by merely inspecting the interior? The interior is supposed to be dark if the roof is in good condition. However, if you walk into a container and you see light rays coming from the roof, then you can be sure that the roof has holes in it. It is especially the case if you want to save costs by hiring a shipping container that is about 10 to 15 years old. Apart from sunlight discolouring valuables in a container, holes in the roof allow water in every time it rains. Therefore, ensure that the roof of any shipping container hire that you are considering is in excellent condition.