5 Tips and Tricks for Shipping Container Maintenance During the Summer

Shipping containers are designed to deal with the harsh environments at sea and are made of very strong steel and painted to help with corrosion. Even though containers are made very durable they still require to be maintained on a semi-annual basis to keep them in the best condition possible. We suggest shipping container maintenance during summer and winter months so that your container is ready for the hot and cold temperatures that these seasons bring. 

In this blog post, we will go through some helpful tips on how to maximize the life span of your shipping container with semi-annual maintenance. Since we are heading into the summer months when the weather gets hot we will focus on specific tips for maintenance shipping containers in the summer.

Maintaining a shipping container during the summer 

It is important to maintain your container on a semi-annual basis especially when it’s coming up to the summer or winter months where weather conditions can be harsh. Although containers are built to be extremely durable with stainless steel fittings and floors that have been treated to prevent rotting they can still be damaged when packed or transported.  If your shipping container has dents or cracks on it this can lead to corrosion and may make it unsuitable for use. It is important that you inspect and fix any repairs on your shipping container as early as possible. 

If you plan to have a shipping container during the summer then we have some great tips on portable storage container maintenance during the summer months when the weather is hot. We will be looking at general tips, tips for maintaining the doors of your container, and tips on how to maintain the roof of your shipping container. Let’s dive in!

Tips for maintenance portable storage during summer

General 

General tips for shipping container maintenance during the summer mostly includes giving your container a thorough clean 

• Give your shipping container a good pressure wash
• Inspect the container semi-annually. If you live near the sea you may want to inspect it more often
• Sweep the floor inside the container to check for signs of any damage or moisture

Keep it Level

Here are some tips for how to maintenance the shipping container in the summer. The placement of the container is very important and ensuring that it is on a flat surface will reduce the possibility of water gathering underneath the container.

• Make sure the container is sitting level – if not, this can cause the container to “rack” or twist, and can make the doors harder to open and close
• The container rests on the four corner castings (corner blocks).  If it becomes unlevel, you can jack up one corner and put more dunnage underneath
• Make sure the container is sitting on solid ground. 

Modifications 

Once you have cut into your container to add windows and doors or modified them in various ways the structure of the container loses some of its durability. It is very important to check any modifications that have been done to your container. 

• If you have made any modifications to your container make sure to check all modified areas especially around joins or areas that have metal on metal. Check all doors, windows and other openings. Look for any areas that may collect dirt or water and clean them. 
• If you have a refrigeration unit in your container make sure that it has been recently serviced

Doors 

Since shipping container doors are used frequently and are moving parts they are more likely to get damaged from wear and tear. Sea cans maintenance during the summer months should include a thorough inspection of all the doors and hinges.

• Check all door seals to make sure they are intact.  You can also check this by having someone close the doors while you are inside, and checking for any light around the doors
• Make sure that your rubber gasket seals on the door are still in good shape
• Clean your doors by removing any dirt and rust from the hinges
• Lube up the hinges!  Any spray lubricant will work for this.
• Doors still stiff?  Heat up the hinges with a small torch to melt any build up in the hinges
• Trim any grass or foliage around the container so that it doesn’t accidentally closed into the door seal

Roof

Checking the roof of your shipping container is the most important part of shipping container maintenance in hot climates. Regularly check the roof for dents that are known for collecting rainwater and causing corrosion.

• Make sure that you don’t have too much weight on your shipping container roof. When shipping containers are stacked the weight is put onto the corner caskets and not the roof itself
• Remove any dirt, debris, or water from the roof
• Check for any holes/corrosion.  You can do this by climbing on top, or by simply going inside and having someone shut the doors, and looking for any light coming through at any spots of concern
• Touch up any areas of corrosion that may be of concern with paint, or a roof sealant if you prefer

Conclusion

We hope that you enjoyed our tips on shipping container maintenance during the summer and will use these tips in the next coming months before the weather gets hot. If you are looking to purchase a shipping container, Coast Containers would be happy to assist you with finding the best type of container and size for your needs. You can also check out our blog post “What are the main types of shipping containers?” for more information and take a look at our NEW and USED containers on our website. We have many locations to choose from and you can get a quick quote on our website. 

Not quite ready to purchase a container but would like to rent one? check out our partner company Make Space Storage. Make Space Storage has a wide variety of storage solutions, including portable storage rentals, self-storage, commercial storage, parking, and moving services.