The New Holland Weather Test

If you live here in New Holland, you know we get the full, unadulterated "Pennsylvania Experience." We get all four distinct seasons in all their glory. We enjoy those perfect spring days at Groff Memorial Park, we brave the summer crowds (and the coasters) at Dutch Wonderland, and we appreciate the arts and community at places like the Cavod Theatre.

But as any long-time Lancaster County resident knows, our weather isn't just charming; it's extreme.

Our region is classified as having a humid subtropical climate. That’s a polite way of saying our summers are sweltering, sticky, and wet, and our winters are bitingly cold, often dropping well below freezing. We get rainfall and moisture throughout the year. While we’ve learned to live with it, the belongings we put into storage haven't.

Think about that storage unit, that attic, or that garage. It’s facing the full force of this climate. Your stored items are taking "The New Holland Weather Test," and frankly, most of them are failing.

The Summer Swelter: Humidity, the Silent Killer

Let's talk about summer in the 17557 zip code. It's not just the heat; it's the humidity. When the air is thick enough to swim through, that moisture is creeping into everything you own.

A standard, non-climate-controlled storage unit is just a hot, dark box. That humidity gets trapped inside, creating a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew on fabrics, upholstery, and paper. But the damage doesn't stop there:

• Wooden Furniture: That antique rocker from your grandmother? The humidity causes the wood to swell and warp. Joints come unglued, and veneers peel away.

• Electronics: Delicate circuits in TVs, computers, and old stereo equipment will corrode. That vintage vinyl collection you’re saving? The album covers will stick together, and the records themselves can warp into unplayable bowls.

• Photos & Documents: Irreplaceable family photos will fuse into a single, heartbreaking brick of paper. Important documents and books will become musty and foxed with mildew.

A simple self-storage unit becomes an expensive oven—or worse, a sauna—that actively destroys the things you're trying to protect.

The Winter Gauntlet: The Freeze, Thaw, and Crack Cycle

Then comes winter. The problem reverses, but it's just as destructive. When temperatures drop, anything liquid freezes and expands.

• Glass & Crystal: That box of delicate glassware or holiday ornaments? The microscopic moisture trapped inside expands, leading to invisible stress fractures that cause them to shatter later.

• Batteries & Appliances: Any item with a battery (like lawn equipment or a stored vehicle) will likely have a dead battery by spring. Liquids in appliances (like a stored washer) can freeze, cracking pipes and pumps.

• Plastic & Leather: Cold makes plastic brittle. Those clear storage totes can crack under the slightest pressure. Leather goods will dry out, stiffen, and crack.

The constant freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw cycle of a PA winter basically ensures that anything fragile will be weakened, warped, or broken by the time you pull it out in the spring.

The Solution: A Stable Environment on Ranck Road

So, what's the answer? It’s not just storage; it’s smart storage. You need to take the weather out of the equation.

This is where Climate-Controlled Storage becomes essential, not a luxury. A climate-controlled unit isn't just cooled; it’s regulated. It maintains a stable temperature and, most importantly, a stable humidity level all year round. It’s like keeping your belongings in an extra room of your house.

For those of us in New Holland, the solution is right here. Elanco Self Storage, located at 425 Ranck Road, specializes in protecting valuables from our specific climate. When you look at their Seasonal Storage Information, you’ll see they offer a massive range of Climate-Controlled Storage, RV Storage & Self-Storage Options.

We carry units as small as a 5x5 for a few precious boxes of photos and documents, all the way up to large 15x15 or 10x20 units that can hold an entire houseful of furniture, ensuring none of it warps or mildews. We even offer 50x12 RV Storage parking, so your biggest investment is shielded, too.

Don't let your cherished belongings fail "The New Holland Weather Test." That attic or garage just won't cut it. Before you store your items for the season, give them a fighting chance to survive the humid summers and cold winters our beautiful corner of Lancaster County throws at them.