When you’re preparing for a move, there are countless things to keep in mind if you want to see the process through to the end successfully. For instance, what happens when you need to pack temperature-sensitive items? Details like these are what makes moving and shipping items difficult; it’s always the small things that end up taking the most time to figure out. Have no fear, however – your best residential movers New Orleans has are here with some excellent tips on temperature-sensitive shipping!
Packing and temperature 101
When you’re about to pack temperature-sensitive items, you need to realize one thing first; it’s not always about keeping all the stuff cool in transit. The biggest amateur mistake is thinking that heat is the only kind of temperature extreme that can result in spoilage. It doesn’t matter if you’re packing perishable food or something more complex life pharmaceuticals; generally, it’s likely that these items will have a specific temperature range that you need to keep them in.
Think about flower delivery, for example – if the temperature is too high, the flower buds will be wilted and droopy – but that’s not something you solve by lowering the temperature all the way. If you do that, the cold will cause discoloration and potentially shorter shelf life. In terms of pharmaceuticals and medical goods, this is an even more pronounced issue; even the smallest temperature fluctuations can make the entire batch worthless.
Make sure you find someone with experience
When it comes to storing temperature-sensitive items, one thing is important – you need to make sure that the storage providers that you’re dealing with have experience when it comes to temperature-sensitive items. That’s why Zippy Shell Louisiana provides excellent climate-controlled storage – and it’s the same reason why you should find shipping and transport professionals with the same level of commitment and experience. So, when you pack temperature-sensitive items for transport – you want a carrier that’s well-equipped to handle this kind of shipment.
Luckily, there are plenty of carriers with both global and local experience in providing such services; with temperature-regulated storage and moving containers, as well as facilities capable of preserving items at any kind of temperature range.
Learn all of the regulations
Now, if you want to pack temperature-sensitive items like antique furniture and similar non-perishable, but still vulnerable items; you won’t need to think about laws and regulations all that much. However, if you’re in the business of biological substances, diagnostic specimens, or pharmaceuticals – you should know that their transport is tightly regulated by the DEA and the FDA. Plus, there are other federal regulations on potentially hazardous materials – check to see if your shipment of goods is in the applicable category.
For instance, many people use dry ice as a coolant for specific temperature-sensitive materials. However, if you’re moving more than five and a half pounds of dry ice with a non-medical shipment, you’ll have to comply with International Air Transportation Association rules as well as certain parts of the Code of Federal Regulations; depending on how you’re transporting your shipment. If your dry ice shipment is below five and a half pounds, you won’t need as many package markings – as long as the chilled goods aren’t also hazardous. This is just an example of the stuff you’ll need to think about while you choose the best packing supplies New Orleans has.
Pick the right packaging
As you pack temperature-sensitive items, you will have to think about the packing materials you’ll use quite a bit. It’s important to maintain temperature consistency; ensuring that you keep coolness in and the heat out. Basically, it all comes down to the proper refrigeration and insulation. If you have access to containers with insulated foam lining, that’ll work best for frozen items like food and similar perishable goods. Plus, they can be quite useful for shipping things in extreme heat.
This is especially important if you’ll be using external coolant because you’ll need less of it with thicker foam lining. Also, if you’re packing and transporting items that need temperature control but not as strictly, then some thermal wrapping will probably be sufficient.
Packing for climate-controlled storage
If you’re going to pack temperature-sensitive items for long-term climate-controlled storage, there are a couple of other things to keep in mind as well. First of all, using moving boxes is probably a good idea here. They’re usually uniformly sized, and they’re not difficult to carry. Plus, they won’t fall apart if you don’t significantly over-pack them. All of this means that you’ll be able to organize your storage far better, and without compromising any of the items inside.
On the other hand, you can use bags for some of your softer items; they’re not as regularly shaped like boxes, but you can keep them in between to boxes to soften the blow if anything should fall over. Also, if you’re going to use any cushioning in the boxes, avoid putting crumpled newspapers with clothes; the ink will start to rub off on your stuff. You can also get unprinted papers from box suppliers. It’s also important how well you mark your stuff – it will determine if you can easily locate and organize them. This is especially true for bags because they can be mistaken for trash otherwise.
Wrapping Up
As you can see, there are plenty of things to keep in mind as you pack temperature-sensitive items. There are myriad considerations, depending on whether you’re packing stuff for a quick move or for long-term storage. However, regardless of which it is; you should take care to consult storage professionals if you want to preserve all of your items!
