If you have ever purchased a piece of heavy-duty construction equipment, you know how expensive it can be. Something as simple as a backhoe can cost well over $100,000 in some cases.
You might be able to save yourself some money by going with used construction equipment over new equipment. But even then, it is still going to cost you a pretty penny.
For this reason, it is extremely important for you to store your equipment properly when the time comes. The last thing you want is for it to start falling apart on you sooner than it should because you didn’t take the time to take good care of it.
Check out 8 tips for protecting construction equipment while in storage below.
1. Find the Right Place to Store Your Construction Equipment
Where exactly are you going to store your construction equipment when you are not using it?
Some people will build large garages specifically to house their equipment when they need to store it. Others will rent storage units that are big enough to fit their equipment when they need to place it into storage.
Regardless of which approach you choose to take, you should search for the right place to store your equipment and keep it there. It should be able to provide your equipment with protection from the elements at all times.
2. Clean Your Equipment Prior to Putting It Into Storage
Once you have a place to put your construction equipment when you don’t need it, you might be tempted to stick it all in there right away without preparing the equipment at all. This is a bad idea for your construction machinery.
You should always clean your equipment before placing it into storage. You should also service it from top to bottom by doing things like lubricating any moving parts and winterizing any fuel.
By taking these steps, you will ensure that your equipment stays safe and sound while it is being stored.
3. Consider Covering Your Equipment Up When It’s Being Stored
Ideally, your construction equipment will already be covered up when you put it into whichever type of storage you choose to invest in for it. But you should also take things a step further and cover it with a tarp to provide it with an extra layer of protection.
A tarp will stop dirt and dust from doing damage to its exterior. It will also prevent things like moisture from getting inside the equipment and wreaking havoc on it.
4. Stop Moisture From Making Its Way Into Your Equipment’s Storage Facility
As we just alluded to, it is important for you to do what you can to stop moisture from getting anywhere near your construction equipment. It can cause the exterior of it to rust and it can also cause issues for many of the parts inside of it.
But outside of stopping moisture from getting near your equipment itself, you should also make it a point to stop it from getting inside your storage facility. You should make sure your facility is sealed off from the outside world and fix any leaks that might pop up in your roofing or siding.
5. Prevent Pests From Coming Into Contact With Your Equipment While in Storage
It is not uncommon at all for pests to sneak into storage units that are used to house construction equipment. Since these facilities aren’t usually accessed much, pests are able to set up shop in them and remain undisturbed for weeks or even months on end.
You should try to seal your storage facility so that pests aren’t able to get into it. You should also have it treated every now and again to kill off any pests that might be able to get inside anyway.
6. Space Your Equipment Out While in Storage to Prevent Collisions
If you are going to have several different pieces of construction equipment in a storage facility, you should make every effort to space them out. You don’t want them to be crowded together inside of a tight space.
For one, crowding them together is going to be difficult and could lead to you inadvertently crashing one piece of equipment into another piece. But further, it could also lead to equipment falling over and damaging another piece while in storage.
Your best bet is to leave at least several feet in between all your equipment. It will ensure that you don’t have any equipment touching another piece of equipment at any point.
7. Lock Your Equipment Up While It Is in Storage
You can spend as much time as you want looking for the perfect shop building for sale for your construction equipment and taking good care of it. But it might all be for naught if you don’t invest in a sturdy lock for its front door.
Someone could come in and do a lot of damage to your equipment if they are able to break into your building. They could also steal some of the equipment without you noticing for a long time.
A good lock will keep people out of your building and protect your equipment for the long haul.
8. Check On Your Equipment in Storage Every So Often
By putting all the tips that we have talked about here to good use, you should be able to protect your construction equipment. You shouldn’t have to worry too much about anything happening to it.
But you should get into the habit of going and checking on your equipment every so often when it is in storage. It is good to find out if there is a problem as early as you can so that you can do something about it.
Keep Your Construction Equipment Safe at All Times While You’re Storing It
You probably paid a lot of money for the construction equipment that your company uses. So you should put some real effort into protecting it while it is being stored.
Utilize these eight tips to get the construction job done. You should be able to keep your construction equipment safe for many years to come by using them.
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