Placement

• Block at corners only unless you are heavily loading the container.

• Try not to place the unit in mud or soft, moist ground as this will corrode the crossmembers and subject the wood floor to moisture, which may lead to an excessive "musty" smell inside the container. Ideally, the container will be blocked up an inch or two on concrete pads to provide adequate airflow underneath.

Door-opening Tips

• Start opening the right-hand door first by moving both handles at the same time. Then focus on the inner lock rod, and move to the outer one.

• Turn handles all the way - 180°. The cams will pop the gaskets out.

• When the doors get stiff, try putting baby powder on the gaskets. This tends to work better than oil or grease.

• Let physics help! Use a piece of pipe to temporarily extend the handles. This will allow you to put pressure farther from the pivot, thereby increasing leverage, and making it easier to turn the handles.

• Squirt oil or spraylube on the hinge pins every six months to keep the doors opening smoothly.

Combatting Condensation

Particularly during the winter months, there is a tendency for condensation to form inside containers. This is due to the humidity of the air (everything has some moisture in it). During a sunny day, this moisture will remain evaporated, and as the temperature cools at night, it may condense to form water droplets on the ceiling, which could then start dripping.

A great way to avoid this is by insulating the container to help regulate the temperature inside it. We recommend spray foam, as it is economical and effective! It is also fire retardant – so will not propagate flame. Spray foam has an insulation value of R7 per inch of thickness. In many cases, spraying just the ceiling with ¾” is enough to prevent condensation. We have spray-foam capability in-house. Ask us about it!

Another option would be to use dehumidifiers such as Dri-Z-Air (www.drizair.com). These are great because they don't require electricity, but the crystals do need to be changed regularly.

Corrosion Check

• Every couple years it is a good idea to climb up on the roof and check for any corrosion. Keep the roof painted with an industrial roof coating or marine enamel. If holes are going to develop anywhere, it will be in the roof.

• The door frame, especially the top header beam, can be subject to prior corrosion, and it is advisable to keep this area well painted and all rust chipped or sanded off. In the worst case, rust can push the door gaskets out and affect how they seal.