Five Tips for Keeping Crates and Shipments Dry
Posted on: 27 April 2017
If you are sending a shipment in a shipping crate and you want to ensure that neither the shipment nor the crate get water damaged, there are a number of steps you may want to take. Consider using these strategies to waterproof your next shipment.
1. Use a Waterproof Crate
In some cases, crates may get unloaded in the rain. In other cases, they may be transported on open trucks, leaving them susceptible to rain on the road, or the shipper or receiver may need to store the crate outside for a short period.
To protect your shipment from water in these conditions, consider looking into waterproof crates. Typically, these are airtight crates, made of sturdy wood that doesn't let water seep in.
2. Add a Vapor Barrier
If you don't have a waterproof crate or to enhance the waterproof nature of your existing crate, consider using a vapor barrier. You can buy barriers designed to line the inside of a crate, but if you do a lot of shipping, you may want to buy a roll of polyethylene or other waterproof material and cut pieces to line your crate as needed.
You can also buy waterproof crate lining paper from many shipping supply companies — wax paper can work similarly if you can't find waterproof paper.
3. Remember Condensation
Even if water can't penetrate your crate from the outside, it may get inside your crate in the form of condensation. This can happen especially in situations where your crate is exposed to lots of changes in temperature. To ensure the condensation droplets don't get your items wet, put some packets of desiccant in your crate. It can also help to add a bit of ventilation in the sides of the crate.
3. Pack Potentially Leaky Containers Separately
If you are shipping items that contain liquids, you may want to wrap each of those items separately. Ideally, you should surround each item with cling wrap or place it in a sealable plastic bag. For even great levels of perfection, try vacuum sealing potentially leaky items.
5. Consider a Tilt and Shock Monitor
To keep crates and shipments dry, it can also help to work with a quality shipping company. To keep tabs on the shipping process, you may also want to invest in a tilt and shock monitor. This is a small indicator that you place inside the crate or stick to the outside of the crate.
It changes colours to alert you if the shipment has been tilted past certain levels during shipping. The recipients of the package can alert you if the indicator shows any issues, and you can adjust your shipping strategies as needed based on that information. If you find a company that handles your packages carefully, that also reduces the chances that they may leave your crates unattended or in the rain.
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