do not get hurt while moving

If you've always dreamed of starting your own business and becoming self-employed, it's time to make your dreams come true and take the plunge. You won't be the only one, as a new business is started in the U.S. every minute. Once you have acquired inventory, you need to make sure that your inventory is stored in a safe environment, particularly from any scenario where water damage is a possibility. Heavy duty plastic storage bins offer optimal protection; however, you can never be too sure. Here are 3 additional ways you can waterproof these storage bins and prevent water damage.

Be Wary of Condensation Buildup Within the Bins

Water damage does not only occur when water seeps in from the outside. You also have to be wary of condensation buildup within the storage bins due to the different and fluctuating temperatures between the external and internal environment. If the storage bins are not placed in a climate-controlled environment, the air inside the storage bin may be higher in temperature than the air outside the bin. This will cause condensation to build up within the storage bin, which can eventually cause substantial water damage depending on what you are storing. 

To prevent condensation buildup, include a bag of silica gel in each storage bin. The silica gel will absorb excess moisture within the heavy duty plastic storage bins. If you can't find silica gel, you can also get away with using a bag of rice or beans.

Seal Each Bin with Rubber Strips

Not all heavy duty plastic storage bins are air-tight and waterproof. It may be easy for water to seep in at the crevices between the lid and the bin. To further secure each heavy duty plastic storage bin, consider adding a rubber strip to the top of bin where the lid attaches. There are plenty of rubber strip seals that are easy to install. These strips have adhesive backings. All you have to do is stick them onto the lid and you'll have an air-tight storage bin.

There are several different types of rubber strip materials that you can choose from: closed cell sponge rubber, EPDM closed cell sponge rubber, silicone closed cell sponge rubber, neoprene closed cell sponge rubber and blended closed cell sponge rubber. Each type of material possesses unique advantages.

Enforce the Seal with Tape

The crevice between the bin and the lid is the most vulnerable point of access on the bin. To enforce the seal and prevent any leaks, consider sealing the storage bin with tape. Packaging tape will generally do the job and will hold up even when exposed to small amounts of water. Make sure you get all of the air bubbles out when taping the storage box for an optimal seal. If you think that one layer of tape is not enough, you can always go for two layers.

You should only seal the storage boxes if you think that the inventory will be sitting there for sometime, as getting the tape off of the box can be a hassle. In short, you should only seal up excess inventory you have lying around or inventory that may not be released until sometime in the future. For example, if you own a clothing store, only tape the storage bins that contain clothes that are going to be sold next season.

Conclusion

Even after taking the appropriate steps to waterproof heavy duty plastic storage bins, you should still make sure that these bins are stored in a secure, climate-controlled area. By protecting your inventory and preparing for worst-case scenarios, you can easily limit business liabilities and expenses and increase your business' potential profit margin.