Your warehouse stores a wide variety of products and supplies, so having properly maintained storage racks will help make your life easier. You install top-of-the-line storage racks to give your space some much-needed versatility, and you consider it out of sight and out of mind. However, your shelving systems can wear down over time and suffer damage that requires your attention. However, when you start assessing the damage, an important question should immediately be: should I repair or replace my storage racks?
Identifying You Have a Problem With Your Shelving
Before you can answer whether you should repair or replace your storage racks, you need to know there’s a problem in the first place. In any warehouse or storage facility, you have a wide range of heavy machinery and equipment going through and transporting products from one place to the other. Accidents may happen, and forklifts can cause some damage; how do you ensure every dent gets reported?
Doing regular walkthroughs of your facility and closely examining the racks can help identify problem areas before they worsen. Additionally, having clearly defined channels where employees can report signs of damage they come across and let those who can do something about it know. Keeping tabs on the state of your shelving goes a long way toward fixing problems before they become worse.
When Should I Repair My Shelves?
Repairing your shelving units requires properly assessing the damage and making determinations about the extent of it. For bends and dents, the decision to repair or replace them comes down to their depth. If they’re less than half an inch deep, you can focus on addressing the damage at your convenience. You can approach each section individually and make the necessary repairs without worrying about taking the entire shelving unit down.
When Should I Replace My Shelves?
Conversely, when your shelving has sustained increasing amounts of damage, you need to take swift action to replace the units before something worse can happen. Knowing what constitutes an immediate replacement can help you minimize downtime, address potential problems quickly, and ensure your facility stays as safe as possible.
If bend or impact damage exceeds a half-inch depth, you should immediately replace that shelving section. Additionally, if the upright columns near the first beam level have been damaged, you should immediately address the issue. You should unload the adjacent bays and avoid using them until the broken one gets fully replaced.
Benefits of a Complete Upright Shelving Unit Replacement
An important factor to consider when deciding between repairing or replacing your warehouse racking shelving units pertains to the overall look of the unit. Replacing an entire shelving unit will ensure everything looks clean and like nothing ever happened. If you replace a section, there will be splice points where you installed the new pieces, potentially making for awkward fits when you put your stock back on the shelves.
Trust Diversified Rack & Shelving, Inc. With Your Rack Repairs in NJ, NY, and PA
When it comes to properly maintaining your warehouse storage rack systems, you need to have a clear idea of the state of your shelves and how extensive the damage is. Regular racking inspections should happen at predetermined intervals to check for signs of impact and potential rack failure. Diversified Rack & Shelving, Inc. has you covered whether you need repairs or replacement pallet racking systems!
Contact our team to learn more about our services, browse our inventory, and schedule your next appointment today!