Self-Storage vs. Records Storage: A Comparison

In today’s business world, information is a highly valuable commodity. The success of your business often hinges on the information you have and how effectively you use it. If your information includes personal or sensitive data, protecting it becomes even more crucial. Businesses choose to store their information off-site for various reasons, such as:

• Limited space and the high cost of expansion or relocation.
• The need to archive records that are rarely used but must be retained securely.

Whether you’re already storing your files off-site or considering making the move, you might be tempted to use self-storage instead of partnering with a records storage company. Is the potential financial saving worth it? A full comparison can help you decide.

1. Purpose

• Records Storage: This is a professional service specifically designed to store sensitive records for individuals and businesses.
• Self-Storage: Typically used for personal items like car parts, tires, small appliances, furniture, camping and fishing gear, gardening tools, sports equipment, and holiday decorations. While both services provide storage, they serve very different purposes.

2. Security

• Records Storage: At Pacific Records, our storage facilities are highly secure with strict access control, Sonitrol intrusion protection, digital surveillance, and fire detection and suppression systems.
• Self-Storage: These facilities offer locked lockers within buildings that are accessible to customers 24/7. While convenient, they are not a secure option for storing sensitive information.

3. Compliance

• Records Storage: We take compliance with privacy laws seriously. Pacific Records Management adheres to regulations such as HIPAA, FACTA, SOX, and GLBA, ensuring your documents are protected.
• Self-Storage: These companies are not required to follow privacy laws governing document protection. Their storage contents differ significantly from those in professional records storage.

4. Retrieval

• Records Storage: Accessing your records is simpler than you might think. Pacific Records offers 24/7/365 access to offsite inventory. We can deliver documents physically via GPS-tracked alarmed vehicles or digitally through our Scan On Demand service. Our proprietary state-of-the-art RIM software ensures quick and accurate retrieval.
• Self-Storage: You’ll have a locker to stack your file boxes, often adjacent to someone else’s stored items, which may include hazardous materials. If your files are knocked over and spilled, private documents could be lost or exposed, compromising your business’s compliance with privacy rules. Retrieving files from self-storage involves traveling to the unit, searching through boxes, and taking time away from your business. This method is unprofessional and risky for handling sensitive information.

5. Climate Control

• Records Storage: Facilities like ours provide temperature and humidity-controlled environments to protect your important files from damage.
• Self-Storage: These units are not designed to monitor humidity and temperature, as their primary purpose is to store items like tires, furniture, and camping gear. They are not suitable for storing valuable documents that require a controlled environment.

Pacific Records Management offers professional records storage services, not self-storage. We ensure your sensitive information is safe, secure, and accessible whenever you need it. Make the best decision for your file storage by calling us at 800-685-9034 or completing the form on this page.