Protect Your Facility: A Guide to Self Storage Security Solutions

One of the main responsibilities of a self storage facility is to keep tenants' belongings safe. Unfortunately, some facilities fall short.

For instance, a storage facility in Colorado Springs experienced multiple thefts, where one tenant lost $18,000 worth of items in two separate incidents just three weeks apart.

In total, this facility has seen over $100,000 worth of items stolen, including two classic cars and irreplaceable letters between a Vietnam soldier and his wife.

Relying on physical locks alone is no longer enough, as they can be easily cut. Today, you need to ensure that your facility is protected by several security solutions.

In this article, we’ll explore security systems that can protect your self storage facility and help keep your customers’ goods safe.

9 Effective Self Storage Security Systems

Your customers want a reliable place to store their belongings, knowing these items will be protected from theft, damage, and unauthorized access.

They trust you to keep their possessions safe from harm, out of the hands of burglars, and secure from prying eyes.

You can fulfill this promise by implementing the right combination of security measures for your facility.

Here are some of the most effective options to consider:

1. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED)

When designing your storage facility, you may focus on installing high, secure fencing and bright lighting.

While these features are necessary for security and functionality, it’s important to make sure they align with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.

CPTED is a security strategy that became popular in the 1970s. It involves designing spaces that make it harder for criminals to commit crimes.

For example, while fencing is important for security, it can block views, making it harder for people inside or outside the facility to see what’s going on.

CPTED highlights the need for visibility to help prevent crime, so it’s important to find a balance between security and keeping clear sightlines.

Bright lighting is usually good for safety, but if it’s not placed well or creates dark shadows, it could unintentionally give intruders a place to hide.

CPTED suggests using lighting that improves visibility without creating dark areas that could hide suspicious activities.

In addition to this, make sure you consider the following principles for your storage facility:

🏗️ Limited entry points: If you have multiple driveways or pathways leading into your facility, consolidate them into a single entry point. This allows you to easily monitor anyone going in and out.

🏗️ Territorial reinforcement: You can use clear signage to mark the perimeter and entry points and install fencing to reinforce the area as private property. This marks your territory, which tells potential intruders that the area is monitored and controlled.

🏗️ Regular maintenance: If your facility appears clean and well-maintained, criminals will be less likely to target it. Regular upkeep, such as removing litter, repairing damage, and ensuring that landscaping is tidy, tells them that the property has eyes on it.

Ultimately, the way you design your storage facility will play a huge role in whether criminals choose to target it or not.

2. Secure fencing

Besides considering the psychological effect of clearly defining the boundaries of your storage facility, you also need to make sure it will practically keep intruders out.

When selecting fencing for your facility, take note of the following features:

✅ Make sure it’s high enough: Choose a fence that is tall enough to prevent criminals from climbing up and over it—at least 8 feet high is recommended.

✅ Choose durable material: Opt for materials such as steel or wrought iron that are difficult to cut or break. Make sure you have heavy-duty commercial fencing.

✅ Select an anti-climb design: Include features like pointed tops or barbed wire to prevent intruders from scaling the fence.

✅ Make sure it’s weather resistant: Choose materials that can withstand local weather conditions without needing regular maintenance or replacements.

✅ Check local regulations: Make sure your fence complies with local zoning laws and regulations. Some areas may have restrictions on fence height, materials, or placement.

In addition, you could invest in perimeter alarms that will alert you to any unauthorized attempts to breach your fence.

These alarms can be integrated with your overall self storage security systems, providing an additional layer of protection and giving you peace of mind that your facility is secure.

Source: Jacksons Fencing

🔔 Keep an eye out for providers that specialize in self storage facilities. For example, Jacksons Fencing does this in the UK, and the Seegars Fence Company does this in the U.S.

3. Good lighting

Criminals like working in the dark. If your storage facility allows them to sneak by in the shadows, they will consider your business an easy target.

On the other hand, if you have ample lighting that eliminates dark corners and shadows, it will deter potential intruders.

Bright, consistent lighting makes it difficult for anyone to hide and gives your security cameras or on-site security guard a clear view of the entire property.

Make sure to install:

🔥 Motion-activated lights: These not only save energy but also startle would-be intruders who may have been under the impression that they could sneak by undetected.

🔥 LED lighting: Long-lasting and energy-efficient, LED lights are much better than traditional incandescent or fluorescent lights.

🔥 Strategic placement: If your lights don’t cover all key areas, you might miss spots that could become hiding places for intruders.

There are many different kinds of lights to choose from, including these options offered by Commercial LED Lights:

4. Video surveillance (CCTV)

With proper video surveillance, you can monitor everything happening at your facility, even when you're not there in person.

Setting up a proper CCTV system allows you to track activities closely, deter potential intruders, and provide valuable evidence for police and insurance investigations.

Modern CCTV cameras can also alert you instantly via an app when there is movement at your storage facility during off-peak hours.

Many storage facilities have managed to help police apprehend suspects after they were identified on CCTV footage.

In a recent incident at a Public Storage facility in Lemon Grove, criminals broke into nearly 30 storage units, stealing goods valued at over $84,000.

The video footage shows two adults and a child loading items into the facility’s elevator and walking away with them.

Thanks to the facility’s surveillance system, one suspect was quickly taken into custody, significantly speeding up the investigation.

Have a look at the news segment that includes the footage:

It’s incredibly important to place your cameras in the right positions so that there are no blind spots that criminals can exploit.

Have a look at the diagram below that demonstrates how you should cover the area right up to your wall so that every corner is visible and secure:

Source: CCTV Security Pros

🔔 Leave CCTV installation to the pros If you’re based in the US, have a look at companies like Wireless CCTV that specialize in high-quality surveillance systems. Alternatively, if you’re in the UK, check out companies like CCTV.co.uk, which also offers reliable CCTV solutions and professional installation services.

5. Advanced access control system

You could sit at the entrance of your storage facility all day and verify every person who drops by, but this is a tedious and ineffective process.

Most modern self storage facilities offer access control using smart entry systems, such as pin codes and mobile apps.

This allows you to:

• Only grant access to authorized individuals.

• Track who enters and exits your facility.

You need to have the right access control systems in place to give your customers access to both your storage facility as a whole and their individual storage units.

These are the two access control systems you could implement:

🔒 End-to-end access systems: These systems allow your customers access to the entire facility as well as their individual units. They usually include automatic main gates that use smart entry methods like keycards or mobile apps, allowing customers to enter anytime.

🔒 Gate access systems: This refers to the automatic gates that use smart entry methods to ensure only authorized people can get onto the property. Most facilities will have a main gate with this smart entry system, while customers typically use their own locks for their storage units.

For a comprehensive overview, check out our article on automated smart entry systems for self storage facilities.

🤔 Customers not paying? You can use overlocking, which allows you to override your customer’s access to their storage unit until payment is made. With Stora, you can automatically lock a storage unit immediately when the payment fails, and automatically restore it when they pay.

6. Motion detectors

Your tenants want to know that their belongings are safe, and motion detectors can help provide that reassurance.

These devices can detect movement in and around the storage facility, alerting you to any unusual activity.

If criminals break through the partition walls or ceiling of a storage unit, you might not be alerted because they haven’t tampered with the main entrance that your monitoring system focuses on.

Here’s an example of a storage unit that was robbed through its ceiling in Englewood, Colorado:

However, if you also have motion sensors, the sudden movement inside a unit can trigger an alert, allowing you to respond quickly to any potential threats.

Have a look at Noke, which has thermal motion sensors that can detect both movement and heat inside storage units.

7. Facility alarms

Loud, unyielding alarms are a great deterrent for criminals, sending them running for the hills and alerting authorities and nearby bystanders.

Depending on your facility's setup, consider installing:

🚨 Perimeter alarms: These detect breaches along the facility's boundary, like fences or walls. If someone tampers with your boundaries, the alarm triggers, alerting you and the authorities.

🚨 Unit alarms: Installed on individual storage unit doors, these alarms notify you of unauthorized access. The alarm turns off when customers enter the facility and get reactivated when they leave.

Watch this video from Spider Door, which explains how their alarms, which are specifically designed for storage facilities, work:

🔔 Panic alarms for every crisis In the event of an emergency at your facility—whether it's a break-in, a medical issue, or flooding—having a panic alarm can be incredibly useful. Customers can push the alarm to alert you, allowing you to offer assistance and resolve the situation quickly.

8. Comprehensive insurance

Protecting your customers' belongings is your top priority, but so is safeguarding your business. Even with a robust security system, break-ins can still happen.

How would you handle the costs of loss and damage?

In the end, you could be held liable for your customers’ losses, which is why you need sufficient insurance to cover stolen or damaged property.

When choosing an insurance provider, select a comprehensive option that also covers loss of business income.

Before choosing an insurance provider, read online reviews to ensure they offer:

• Quick and fair claims processing.

• Good customer service and support.

• Flexibility to adjust coverage as your needs change.

Just like there’s insurance for cars and homes, there’s also specific insurance for self storage facilities.

For example, U.S. insurance company, Nationwide, offers cover for self-storage facilities, which includes liability, property, and business income coverage.

Similarly, if you're based in the UK, Basil Fry is a good option for self storage facilities.

💡 Make sure tenants have insurance too Besides having your own insurance, you can also make it mandatory for your tenants to have insurance. This reduces your liability and helps maintain a safer, more secure environment for everyone. You can also sell this as part of your online booking process. If you're strategic about this, it's an opportunity to generate an additional revenue stream.

9. Cybersecurity

In today’s digital age, protecting your customers’ data is just as important as securing your storage facility.

With online payments and customer information being shared, you need to ensure that your cybersecurity measures are top-notch to keep everything safe.

Here are some key areas to focus on:

👍 Preventing data breaches: Safeguard your customers' personal information from hackers who could exploit weaknesses in your system.

👍 Securing online payments: Ensure that payment processing systems are secure to protect customers from unauthorized transactions and identity theft.

👍 Training employees: Educate your staff about phishing attacks and other tactics that criminals might use to trick them into revealing sensitive information.

To strengthen your cybersecurity, implement regular security updates, use strong encryption protocols, and maintain a firewall to protect your network.

Protect Your Self Storage Facility

Securing your self storage facility is about more than just locks and keys; it's about creating a comprehensive system that ensures the safety of your customers' belongings.

By implementing a mix of traditional and advanced security measures—like effective lighting, video surveillance, and access control—you can keep your storage facility secure.

Stora can help you automate your self storage business, choose solutions that best fit your needs, and integrate them with your self storage facility.

Book a demo today to find out how Stora can transform your storage facility for the better.