Shipping Containers vs Severe Weather: How Do They Hold Up?
Dec 16th 2021
Why Can Shipping Containers Withstand Severe Weather?
Severe weather covers a multitude of weather conditions, including:
• Heavy rain
• Strong winds.
• Extreme heat.
• Extreme cold.
You can get a combination of these at sea or while the container makes a journey by road or rail.
All shipping container sizes classify as seaworthy when they meet international standards (ISO) to keep their contents dry and secure in transit.
The seaworthy seal of approval covers:• Structure and design with intensive testing of a prototype.
• Maintenance and repair to maintain integrity to approved standards.
| Corten Steel | ISO Standards |
|---|---|
| Most shipping containers have a robust construction and use high-quality Corten steel. Corten steel has two unique characteristics that make it ideal for creating a weather-resistant storage container:
• Eight times as resistant to weather and corrosion as standard carbon steel.
Shipping containers' extreme outdoor longevity is largely down to the quality of the steel. Most shipping containers have a protective paint coat. Still, the corrosion resistance of Corten Steel means that chips and damage to the paintwork won’t immensely weaken the integrity of the steel exposed to the elements.
• Oxidation creates a protective barrier – the rust stays on the surface. |
The ISO standards for shipping containers cover:
• Dimensions – ISO 668 covers shipping container sizes, shapes, and weight-bearing capabilities.
• Corner fittings – ISO 1161 covers the corners’ materials and strength. The corners are crucial for structural strength and stacking. • Testing for transport worthiness is ISO 1496-1, and all new designs of containers need testing to prove they are sea and roadworthy. Other ISO standards cover special contents and marking up the containers to let you know their suitability for use. The adherence to ISO standards for shipping containers means you can rely on a shipping container to be weatherproof for some of the most extreme rain, snow, and wind conditions. This, of course, is reliant on the container being structurally sound and kept in good condition. |
How Do Shipping Containers Withstand Different Types of Weather?
A shipping container’s design revolves around the practical transport of different goods, intending to maintain those goods in peak condition throughout the trip. This means that shipping containers (apart from refrigerated containers) are not airtight. Standard shipping containers have ventilation vents along the top to allow some airflow. These are designed not to let in the rain (or sea spray) but to prevent the issue of "container rain," where moisture condenses on the roof of the container and drops down onto the cargo.
Despite the air vents, shipping containers are practically watertight for most purposes. Shipping containers that go overboard will float for a long time before finally letting in enough seawater to sink. Some of them may even wash on shore before ever sinking.
Fire
A fire inside a container will destroy the contents but is unlikely to destroy the shipping container. This feature of shipping containers makes them ideal modules for training firefighters in tackling building fires.
The shipping container is resistant to external fires, but this does not make them (without modification) helpful in protecting people from wildfires because you still face the danger of suffocation when the fire consumes the oxygen inside the container. However, if you are storing equipment or other items, the storage container will do an excellent job of protecting those items from external fires.
Shipping containers are fire-resistant metal boxes, and this quality makes them helpful in storing potentially flammable materials since a fire inside the container stays inside the container.
Extreme Heat
Since metal is an excellent conductor of heat, if you’re in an area facing extreme heat conditions, it is highly likely that the heat will transfer to the inside of your storage container. Thermodynamics means that heat moves from a hotter body to a cooler body until both are at the same temperature. If your shipping container is in a hot climate, it will get hot inside, but you can help the container stay cool with some simple modifications:
• Use available shade – if you don't want your contents to get hot, relocate your storage container to take advantage of natural shade.
• Add a reflecting roof – either build a reflecting roof over the top or paint the roof with heat reflective coating.
• Insulate – insulation acts as a thermal barrier that keeps heat in or out depending on your needs and climate conditions.
• Add more ventilation – opening windows can help cool an office trailer and let in more natural light.
• Add an extraction fan or air conditioning – if your contents are heat sensitive or you use the space to work, then cool it down.
Strong Winds
Shipping containers are heavy steel boxes, but will they stay put in a tornado or hurricane?
The ISO standards require shipping containers to withstand winds of up to 180 miles per hour without buckling or taking off into the air. Modifying the container may make some difference in its ability to withstand extreme winds.
On the tornado scale, a shipping container can withstand winds from moderately devasting tornadoes between 161-186 mph. However, F5 tornadoes with winds up to 270-300 mph will strip everything in their path, including storage containers. In both hurricanes and tornados, a significant danger is the impact of flying objects. Shipping containers are robust and stand up well to flying debris compared to other structures.
Storage containers are considered windproof. But, if you live in an area with severe wind conditions, you can increase their strength by:
• Burying it in whole or part – useful to create a wine cellar or a storm shelter.
• Tying the storage container to a concrete foundation for added security.
• Reinforcing the panels against buckling under pressure and flying objects' impact.
Rain
Although storage containers are not always watertight (air vents), they are waterproof and will keep the rain, snow, and hail outside the shipping container. Newer shipping containers have rubber seals around the doors to keep rain from seeping through the openings.
The enemy of all steel (even Corten steel) is rust and holes that may let water in. A regular inspection of your storage container is essential so you can spot any potential weaknesses early on and take remedial action.
Floods
A shipping container is resistant to floodwater up to a certain level. Weak points like doors and window frames will eventually allow severe floodwater into the container but, in comparison, much later than a garden shed or most houses.
If flooding is a risk in your area, you can store the contents inside your storage container in watertight storage boxes protecting your possessions regardless of the storm conditions. The storage container provides the first line of defence with the internal boxes as a backup.
Extreme Cold
The same process for heating a shipping container works in reverse when the outside temperature is freezing. The shipping container structure is not damaged by cold, but the contents may be cold sensitive.
If you need to keep the inside of your storage container warm for comfort or to protect your possessions, consider adding insulation or heating.
The top panel is durable, but the strength of a shipping container comes from the corners and edges. Snow and ice can build up on the roof in places with severe winters. A heavy build-up can potentially cause buckling or create small holes for water to get through.
Not Just for Extreme Weather
Shipping containers are robust and weather-resistant for most climates, but extreme heat and cold are not the best for people, animals, and most possessions. It makes sense to consider modifying your shipping container for routine use to keep your people and possessions under optimal temperature conditions.
Mobile Offices
For an office to be comfortable, you want it to be cool when it is hot outside and warm when cold outside. A storage container fitted out to be a mobile office benefits from insulation in the walls, ceiling, and floor if appropriate. This adaptation improves thermal comfort in both hot and cold weather. You may choose air conditioning, heating, or a combination of the two to keep the inside of the mobile office at a comfortable working temperature regardless of the weather.
Tool and Equipment Storage
Most shipping containers require minimal, if any, additional weatherproofing for plant and equipment storage. These storage containers keep the contents dry and secure until you need to use them. The most useful modifications involve customized shelving arrangements, so everything has its place inside the box.
If the equipment or tools are sensitive to moisture, heat, or cold, you may add climate adjustments like a dehumidifier, ventilation, or appropriate heating and cooling.
What Are the Best Modifications for Weather-Proofing Your Storage Container?
The top modifications for improving your shipping container to resist extreme weather depends on where you live, but some changes are always beneficial:
• Insulation – adding insulation always helps control the temperature inside a shipping container to keep it cooler or warmer.
• Roof – adding an external freestanding roof provides necessary shade or acts as an umbrella against heavy rain and hail.
• Power – air conditioning, heating, and powered extraction fans can all help to provide the ideal climate for working or storage.
More extreme conditions may require more specialized modifications, but versatile storage containers are straightforward and weatherproof for most scenarios, from forest fires to hurricanes or everyday rain.
Are Mobile Offices Weatherproof?
A mobile office trailer is fitted to provide standard office accommodation but with enhanced weatherproofing. The core of the office trailer is a naturally weatherproof Corten steel box, and the modifications to make it a comfortable office also improve the weather resistance.
Adding internal or external air conditioning units is a regular feature for mobile office trailers in hot climates. Still, other modifications are available to produce office accommodation that rivals any traditional build.
How Can StorageContainer.com Help?
Our storage containers are primarily the best ocean cargo shipping containers – high-quality Corten steel that can cope with the most severe weather conditions. Our boxes start with excellent weather resistance, but we can modify them to meet your needs for weatherproofing and comfort.
Adding internal or external air conditioning units is a regular feature for mobile office trailers in hot climates. Still, other modifications are available to produce office accommodation that rivals any traditional build.
Although our customers keep coming up with surprising new ways to use our storage containers, we have extensive experience of what works in our local weather to:
• Create a comfortable office or working environment.
• Keep your contents dry and free from condensation.
• Protect your contents from specific weather issues.
Whatever you need your storage container to do for you, our expert team can help design a cost-effective solution to provide tailor-made storage or mobile offices.
Get A Quote Today