Self-Storage Security • Section 12 T


hrough the first nine months of 2017, self-storage con- struction spending continued to climb. As general construction spending increased, so too did spending


on security systems and access control technology. Thus far, 2017 has undoubtedly been a banner year for self-storage, and the same is true for the security industry broadly defined. More than ever before, residents of the U.S. and Canada are installing security systems in their homes and businesses as technology continues to make security more convenient and reliable.


The meteoric rise of home security products from Sim-


pliSafe® and Nest highlight how important security has become residentially. With the rising demand for personal security, it’s important for self-storage facilities to meet this demand as well.


According to FBI crime statistics, property crimes account


for $15 billion in losses last year in the U.S. alone. Unfortu- nately, only about 13 percent of reported burglaries resulted in arrest.


All too often we hear about break-ins and theft at self-


storage facilities across the country. The sad fact is vandalism, arson, break-ins, and theft from tailgating are easily avoid- able problems when proper security precautions are taken from the start. That’s why it’s so important to understand what products and technologies are being used today that provide adequate protection for self-storage facilities.


This year, a few noteworthy trends have emerged—and


reemerged—in self-storage security. First, let’s explore the security staples that are being utilized by today’s self-storage owners and operators.


Video Surveillance Systems Video surveillance is an extremely important part of a self-storage security system. With advances in video recording technology, storage owners have better and more affordable security camera options than they’ve had in the past. The most common type of cameras in self-storage today are IP (Internet Protocol). IP camer- as are particularly well-suited for self-storage facilities because they are relatively easy to install and mount, they can be used indoor or outdoor, and they can be remotely accessed. Ideally, cameras are placed at all en- try points, and around important areas like safes and offices.


While video surveillance equipment and recording


devices are self-storage security standards, a few new technologies that are less well-known have started to appear in facilities throughout the world. Both thermal cameras and IP cameras that measure temperature changes are being utilized by facilities looking to secure


2018 Self-Storage Almanac 139


boat and RV lots and to regulate the temperature for cli- mate-controlled units, wine storage, and vault storage.


Automated Gates & Fencing Gates and perimeter fencing are the first line of defense at most storage facilities. Even as multi-level facilities continue to grow in prominence, gates and fencing remain security essentials. Because every site layout is unique, there is quite a bit of variance in the type and size of gates that are be- ing utilized. The most common automated gate for facility security is a slide gate. Slide gates provide a solid barrier to entry that can typically cover an opening around 35 to 40 feet long.


Access Control Devices Keypads are another security staple, and most—if not all—class-A self-storage facilities have some type of access- control entry and exit devices. Limiting access to both the property and individual units is the most fundamental ele- ment of proper self-storage security. Most facilities have keypads at entry and exit points. The exit keypad is impor- tant because requiring tenants to logout when they leave is the only way to determine how long they were on site. Tracking tenant access activity helps owners determine if suspicious activity—like sleeping in units—is occurring. Multiple keypads also help minimize tailgating. If a tailgater is required to enter a code at exit, it will be much more diffi- cult for them to leave the property undetected; it helps you ensure people aren’t sleeping in units. A two-keypad system is the bare minimum for any storage access-control system, and 92 percent of complete security systems that were in- stalled in facilities in 2017 included two or more keypads.


Ideally, facility security systems limit access to the of- fice and employee-only areas, climate-controlled spaces,


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180