ThinkBowl

Whether you're moving, taking an extended vacation, have inherited a house full of antiques, or simply cannot fit another painting in your home, you need a place to keep your valuable collections safe and secure. There's no shortage of fine art storage facilities out there, but if you're not sure what to look for, it can be hard to gauge which ones will truly take care of your collection. Here are some things to look for when choosing who will be keeping your art safe while it's out of your hands:

1. Flexibility - With all of the finely tuned elements that ensure the protection and preservation of your fine art collection, one might think it would be impossible to adhere to the specific needs of each individual. But each collection is different, as is each collector, and whoever is handling your storage should be attuned to that. Find a storage company with customizable options in a wide array of areas. Be sure that they work directly with their customers to develop crating and storing options that best fit each collection, as well as each collector.

2. Climate Controls - One of the most prominent dangers facing your fine art, antiques or collectibles is moisture and temperature. Be sure your storage company has complete control of their facilities' humidity and temperature, and a proper ventilation system (including an air purifier). Paintings can deteriorate, furniture veneers can warp, collectibles such as comic books or photographs can be totally destroyed by moisture.

3. Facility Security - Most fine art storage facilities will claim to be secure, but it's up to you to find out what they mean by that. A steel door is great, but how thick is it? How thick are the walls and the ceiling? Recorded surveillance and alarms on the vault door are great, but do they take measures to prevent anyone or anything from getting that close to your vault, such as motion or audio sensors? You also might want to consider access controls. It's often wise to require two keys and two people to open a vault door.

4. Monitoring Services - Security and climate controls are incredibly important, but without a way to monitor these factors 24 hours a day, something could still slip through the cracks. Make sure the vaults are equipped with highly sensitive sensors that alert staff at the first sign of questionable moisture or heat. Also, be aware that a few storage facilities allow their clients to view their vault from home through their digital security cameras. And, of course, nothing beats on-site, trained security around the clock.

5. Vault Construction - So many factors come into play when discussing a secure and temperature-controlled vault, it can be dizzying to try and get a handle on it. Keep your eye on some of the most important aspects, such as fire ratings and accessibility. Not sure what to look for? Ask your storage facility if they have been certified by a qualified insurance firm, such as AXA.

6. Insurance - Chances are your artwork is already insured through your personal or business property insurance company, but if it isn't, the facility most likely has an insurance plan you can purchase. Also, don't be afraid to ask the facility about their own insurance.

7. Control Your Variables - A storage facility adjacent to another building does not have full control of their security or safety. While your collection could be perfectly safe, it adds variables into the equation that are unnecessary and simply increase the risk factor. Be sure your art, antiques or collectibles are stored in a stand-alone building.

8. Proper Preparation, Crating and Transporting - If you need to transport your art to the facility, you should look for a comprehensive package. Fine art storage and fine art transport are not mutually exclusive fields; both require expertise in climate control and security. With a company that specializes in both transport and storage, you know that from the moment the mover arrives, your art is in good hands.

9. Viewing Options - Your art should be secure, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to access it. It should be as easy as possible for you to view your collection using private viewing rooms, or secure, online access to your inventory.

10. The Value of Your Art - When all of these other factors are in place, this is what makes the difference: how much your art is worth to you? An item shouldn't have to be worth six figures to be protected and preserved with the utmost care. Whether your painting is worth $500,000 or $500, when you put your item into storage, it should be treated as precious. Make sure your storage facility feels the same way.