Something Old, Something New

One man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure... you never know what valuables you might have lurking around your home. You can find all sorts of gems in car boot sales and charity shops as people don’t always realise what is now vintage, antique or has come back into fashion again. Old household gadgets are definitely a prime example of this. 

Household items easily become outdated, so we upgrade to a newer product. The old version is thrown away to be replaced with the new. Even if it’s still in working order, why would you hang onto something when you can have a newer, sleeker and more technologically advanced version; consumption at its finest. Once deemed “crummy” objects in the light of new technology are often chucked out and so become increasingly rare. A BBC News picture slideshow of ‘the household gadgets of yesterday’ features images of an aluminium hairdryer with a wooden handle, a 1960’s dishwasher, a 1927 monitor-top fridge and a home computer released in 1980. These items now look positively vintage and trendy; thus highlighting the fact that we should hang on to old goods for when they swing back into style again.

Lack of space is usually the reason behind why people bin their valuables. That’s where we can help. Here at Cube Self Storage, we offer bespoke storage to suit your needs. Our room sizes range from a small 25 square foot room, similar to the size of a garden shed, all the way up to a 200 square foot room. Each storage room is individually alarmed and monitored from our reception and there is 24 hour digital CCTV monitoring inside and outside the building, so you can keep peace of mind. Furthermore the room is sealed with your own lock and key so it will be you and you only accessing your precious goods. So don’t needlessly throw away your old gadgets and valuables, store them with Cube. You never know when you may want them back!

Wine storage: How does light, vibration and odour effect a wines ageing process?

So far this week we have examined the effects of temperature and humidity on wine storage and looked at the optimal conditions in which to store wine to limit their damaging effects.

Today we’re going to examine some of the lesser understood issues that can affect stored wines.
Like temperature and humidity, light, vibrations and odours can all have negative effects on wines that are being stored for a long period of time for various reasons.

Vibration 

It is only recently that the detrimental effect of excessive vibrations on the ageing process of wine has been scientifically proven.

A study by Chung et al (2008) published in the Journal of Food and Composition Analysis found that vibrations increase the speed at which wine undergoes the chemical reactions required in ageing.
This accelerated ageing process was found to result in a decreased quality of wine, meaning that the more vibrations your wine is exposed to in its ageing process the poorer the quality of the end product.

If is for this reason that we ensure the wine storage facilities at Cube Self Storage are insulated to help reduce any vibration to the wine.

Light

Exposure to the UV rays given off by sunlight, or strong incandescent light, will deteriorate the complex organic molecules inside wine disrupting its ageing process and creating potential wine faults.

To negate this our wine storage areas have no exposure to direct sunlight and use minimal natural lighting.

Odour

Even with slight variations in temperature wine will ‘breathe’ during which air is pulled inside the bottle. If wine is stored in an area that is contaminated with odour, this will infiltrate the wine affecting the taste.

For this reason at Cube Self Storage we endeavour to ensure that our storage spaces are free from strong odours.


Unlike temperature, humidity and orientation; the effect of light, vibrations and odours on wine is universal without any exceptions to the rules so which ever wine you wish to store, it would be prudent to pay attention to these factors.

To find out more about our wine storage facility or to enquire about other storage options contact us.

Wine Storage: What is the best humidity for storing wine?

Last week we examined the importance of storing wine at the correct temperature, so today it’s time to talk about humidity.

The risk of low humidity to the ageing of fine wine has been discussed by numerous oenologists and with temperature; humidity is one of the most vital factors to control when ageing fine wines.

Insufficient humidity (below 50%) causes the cork in the wine bottle to dry out and decrease in volume allowing the wine to escape around the cork and evaporate. Air then invades into the space the wine has left causing an uncontrolled oxidisation process

Alternatively, at humidity’s of above 80% the labels on wine bottles are prone to damage, which can have detrimental effects on the value of fine wine.

To prevent these issues from occurring all of our wine storage rooms are kept at humidity 60-70%.

If you would like to learn more about our wine storage options please feel free to contact us.

Wine Storage: What temperature should wine be kept at?

As you may have noticed we have a brand new page on our website, giving you all the information you need to know about our specialist wine storage facility.

On our wine storage page we tell you how specialist storage is crucial for protecting your wine against climatic effects experienced in Hong Kong. However if you are a fledgling wine collector then you may be wondering why it is so crucial that these factors be controlled in the storage of your wine.

Over the next few weeks we will be telling you all you need to know about the best environment in which to store your wine from the optimal temperature to correct bottle orientation, to ensure that when you are ready to open the cork so is your wine and why it is so crucial.

Today we will cover Storage Temperature.
 
Correct storage temperature and avoiding temperature fluctuations is crucial in achieving favourable ageing of wine and preventing degeneration, which all poses a crucial question;

What temperature should wine be kept at?

Although authorities vary slightly on the exact temperatures, consensus agrees that a range of 12-16ᵒC creates the best conditions for the ageing process for the majority of wines.

Research has indicated that the chemical reactions involved in the ageing process of wine double with each 8ᵒC rise in temperature. Below the optimal temperature these chemical reactions required for the ageing process of wine decelerate or stop altogether meaning the wine does not age as desired.

When wine is stored above temperatures of around 16ᵒC the chemical reactions of the ageing process occur too quickly for with wine to properly develop the complexity and aromatic bouquet desired. Temperatures rising above 20ᵒC can result in degeneration or ‘cooking’ of the wine, which much like corked wine spoils the flavour and aromas of the bottle.

Avoiding temperature fluctuations is equally important. When the temperature of the wine rises, the wine inside the bottle expands, increasing the pressure and eventually causing some of the wine to escape and evaporate. When the temperature then decreases the process is reversed, creating a vacuum within the bottle sucking air inside. When this occurs repeatedly the increased amount of oxygen inside the bottle causes oxidation and thus degeneration of the wine.

So there you have it keeping wine at a constant temperature between 12 and 16ᵒC is optimal when storing wine for any length of time.

Of course as with anything there are exceptions to the rule, but we'll cover those in a future post.
If you would like to learn more about our wine storage options, or to get a quote feel free to contact us.

Utilise Self Storage This January

It’s that time of year again folks – the time for New Year’s resolutions. Is one of yours to get fit and healthy this January? Are you planning on investing in some exercise equipment to use at home such as an exercise bike, treadmill or cross-trainer? Well these items are bulky and take up a great deal of room so might we suggest you make room for them by clearing out your spare bedroom.

Although several times a year you might find your spare bedroom utilised by friends and family staying over, we can guarantee that for the majority of the year the room is used for storing items that don’t fit elsewhere in the house. Well this January make the decision to turn this room into a home gym by storing all your spare items in our fully secure self-storage facility.

We offer a range of different sized units which can accommodate beds, desks, chests of drawers and more to leave you with enough room to realise your dream of a home gym. Plus as we offer flexible storage contracts, you can easily move your items out again when you have guests come to stay. Simply swap your home gym equipment for your spare bedroom furniture when required.

To find out more about our self-storage facility and our rates, please contact us for further information.

Access To Your Items at Cube Self Storage H.K.

At Cube Storage H.K., we welcome customers to ask us any questions that they might have about our self-storage facility. One of the questions we regularly get asked is ‘how can I access your secure storage facility?’ This question is very important as we try to provide a great balance of security and accessibility to our facility. We want you to easily be able to access your items whilst in storage whilst ensuring other people are not able to get in.

Our fully secure, state-of-the-art storage facility is equipped with both swipe card technology and electronic keypads. When you decide to store your household, business or personal items with us, you will be given a swipe card to use to access the facility. You will also be given your own, unique pin number to use to access the building.

These two things, in addition to our CCTV system, ensure that only those who should be granted access to our storage facility manage to get in. If you happen to lose your swipe card or forget your pin number, we have a security procedure in place to ensure that we can give you, and only you, access to your items.

If you would like to know anything further about our security measures or any of our other services, please contact us.

Make Sure Your Valuables are Safe this Christmas with Self Storage

Although Christmas is supposed to be a time of good will to all, unfortunately thieves don’t honour this tradition. Drawn in my empty homes and new (and expensive) Christmas gifts, thieves take full advantage of the festive season by burgling your home whilst you’re away visiting friends and family members. To make sure all your valuables are protected this year, we recommend placing them in self-storage if you’re going to be away.

The self-storage facility at Cube Self Storage H.K. is fully secure. Our security features include keypad entry, a state-of-the-art alarm system and CCTV so you can be assured that your new toys and household items are safe with us.

Check out our special offers page or contact us today to discuss your storage needs on 29142200.