Hi guys,

Starting the process of building out a shipping container storage unit on my property and want to make sure it's done right and has an airtight envelope that isn't prone to moisture, condensation, mold, etc.

I was wondering what the best way to frame the inside would be. I've heard from suppliers that some use metal studs, some glue them to the shipping container walls, and others use 2x4s. In all cases, they use spray foam to insulate/vapor barrier. Would then finish the interior with 1/2" bare plywood. The floor would be a bit different using rigid foam insulation, wood block spacers, and 1/2" plywood floor maybe with an epoxy finish. Spray foam thickness would vary from 2" on the walls to 2.5 or 3" on the ceiling.

Is there a best practice here? I'm mainly concerned about condensation and mold in a climate with -30 winters, +30 summers, and high humidity.

In terms of interior climate control would be running a mini-split, radiators and a dehumidifier.

Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

Hi,

I'm planning to sell my house and travel for an extended period, so I'm looking for a way to store a large amount of stuff long-term. Some of it is valuable and sensitive to temperature/humidity, including cameras, lenses, electronics, batteries, etc.

My family has offered me space on their property to temporarily place a shipping container, which seems like a good solution. I'm in Ottawa, ON, so I'm dealing with very cold winters and hot/humid summers. The container would likely be moved to my own property once I settle down again.

My target storage conditions would be roughly 10–25°C and ideally 45–55% RH.

I've narrowed it down to two options:

Option 1 - 20' new one-trip container

• ~$4,700 delivered
• Spray foam insulation
• 9,000 BTU cold-climate mini-split
• Additional cost for spray foam/mini-split installation
• Likely enough space for all my belongings

Option 2 - 40' used reefer container

• ~$9,000 for the container (they are overstocked, hence the low price)
• ~$5,000 delivery + crane
• Existing insulated/refrigerated construction
• 9,000 or 12,000 BTU mini-split
• Much more room and would allow me to organize everything with a central aisle, when I’m home I’d like to access my possessions more regularly for work and to go camping, etc. 
• Used reefer condition is my main concern since I can't easily inspect it myself

My questions:

1. Would a spray-foamed 20' container with a 9K BTU cold-climate mini-split be sufficient to maintain 10-25°C in Ottawa year-round?
2. Would a 9K or 12K BTU mini-split be sufficient for a 40' reefer?
3. How effective is the mini-split's dry/dehumidification mode for maintaining ~45–55% RH in a container in the summer? Would I need a dedicated dehumidifier as well?
4. Is spray foam appropriate for this application, particularly if the foam is left exposed? I'm concerned about fire safety, since I may be storing some flammable liquids, Li-ion batteries, and other mixed garage/electronic equipment.
5. For a container that may be unattended for several months at a time, are there significant concerns with relying on a mini-split for temperature/humidity control?
6. For long-term storage of valuable electronics, would you choose a new insulated/spray-foamed 20' container or a used 40' reefer?
7. If buying a used reefer remotely, what are the critical things I should have the seller verify/photograph/test before I buy?

 

I'm curious to hear from people who have used shipping containers, reefers, or similar structures for long-term climate-controlled storage, particularly in hot humid + cold Canadian climates.

Thanks.

Shipping Container Climate-Controlled Storage in Ontario

Hi,

I'm planning to sell my house and travel for an extended period, so I'm looking for a way to store a large amount of stuff long-term. Some of it is valuable and sensitive to temperature/humidity, including cameras, lenses, electronics, batteries, etc.

My family has offered me space on their property to temporarily place a shipping container, which seems like a good solution. I'm in Ottawa, ON, so I'm dealing with very cold winters and hot/humid summers. The container would likely be moved to my own property once I settle down again.

My target storage conditions would be roughly 10–25°C and ideally 45–55% RH.

I've narrowed it down to two options:

Option 1 - 20' new one-trip container

• ~$4,700 delivered
• Spray foam insulation
• 9,000 BTU cold-climate mini-split
• Additional cost for spray foam/mini-split installation
• Likely enough space for all my belongings

Option 2 - 40' used reefer container

• ~$9,000 for the container (they are overstocked, hence the low price)
• ~$5,000 delivery + crane
• Existing insulated/refrigerated construction
• 9,000 or 12,000 BTU mini-split
• Much more room and would allow me to organize everything with a central aisle, when I’m home I’d like to access my possessions more regularly for work and to go camping, etc. 
• Used reefer condition is my main concern since I can't easily inspect it myself

My questions:

1. Would a spray-foamed 20' container with a 9K BTU cold-climate mini-split be sufficient to maintain 10-25°C in Ottawa year-round?
2. Would a 9K or 12K BTU mini-split be sufficient for a 40' reefer?
3. How effective is the mini-split's dry/dehumidification mode for maintaining ~45–55% RH in a container in the summer? Would I need a dedicated dehumidifier as well?
4. Is spray foam appropriate for this application, particularly if the foam is left exposed? I'm concerned about fire safety, since I may be storing some flammable liquids, Li-ion batteries, and other mixed garage/electronic equipment.
5. For a container that may be unattended for several months at a time, are there significant concerns with relying on a mini-split for temperature/humidity control?
6. For long-term storage of valuable electronics, would you choose a new insulated/spray-foamed 20' container or a used 40' reefer?
7. If buying a used reefer remotely, what are the critical things I should have the seller verify/photograph/test before I buy?

 

I'm curious to hear from people who have used shipping containers, reefers, or similar structures for long-term climate-controlled storage, particularly in hot humid + cold Canadian climates.

Thanks.

Hi,

I'm wondering if there is a way to customize reminders for sent emails so that each sent email that doesn't receive a reply within "X" days gets bumped to the top of the inbox? Gmail has that feature currently but it doesn't work for all emails and doesn't provide much customization.

Are there any free or cheap 3rd party solutions or hacks you know of that would achieve this?

I tried Gmass and Boomerang but they're both expensive and I'm just looking for something that will remind me in my inbox without having to check any boxes for follow-ups.

Thanks,

Zach

Hi,

I have a few questions about claiming home office expenses/rent and how it differs between self-employed and incorporated.

I run a media production business from home in Ontario and I was self-employed until February 2025, at which point I incorporated the business and now pay myself dividends (no payroll). I'm the sole owner/operator.

The way I was claiming home office expenses when I was self employed was simple: I wrote off a % of the rent and utilities that were used for business purposes.

When I incorporated, I applied the same logic to the corporation. I paid the home expenses from my personal accounts, and then reimbursed myself from the corporation for the business portion use of the property, and then filed that as an operating expense for the corporation.

But I was speaking to the CRA recently and apparently this isn't how it works with a corporation? They said you need to pay a "rent" to the property owner for the space that is used to run the business, that is equivalent to fair market value.

I was wondering if it's possible to phrase this "rent" in the written agreement as being paid as the "business portion of the property used, plus utilities"? And then I would pay that amount each month to me personally, and at the end of the year it gets totaled and claimed as a write off for the corporation. That way the "rent" paid by the corporation exactly matches the "rental income" received personally, which matches the % of home expenses used to run the business. So they should cancel each other out and I wouldn't need to declare any rental income. Is this the simplest solution and would the CRA allow this?

Also, another factor is that I now live in a household with two other co-owners. So we each own 1/3 of the property, and I'm paying 33% of the mortgage personally.

The way I calculating business use of the property was taking a % of the 33% ownership in the property (45%), not 100% of the mortgage interest expense. But I had loosely heard from another accountant that I should be claiming 100% of the 33% of the mortgage interest + utilities as a business write-off by the corporation, and this is fair. I was also wondering if I did claim 100% if this would jeopardize losing principal residence exemption on my share when the property is sold making a portion of the gains taxable? So should I be staying under 50% claimed for business use of my 1/3rd share, even though most of the space is used for business purposes?

One last question, if I could write off 100% of the 1/3rd portion of my mortgage, could I also have done this while self-employed? And does this only apply to the mortgage interest expense, or does it also apply to utilities and property taxes?

I also have an accountant (I've had a few over the years) and they tell me different things, and then I speak with the CRA and they tell me something else, and what's even more confusing depending on which representitive from the CRA I get, they word things differently. So it's all a bit difficult to wrap my head around.

Any advice or input is appreciated! Thanks.

Hi,

I have a few questions about claiming home office expenses/rent and how it differs between self-employed and incorporated.

I run a media production business from home in Ontario and I was self-employed until February 2025, at which point I incorporated the business and now pay myself dividends (no payroll). I'm the sole owner/operator.

The way I was claiming home office expenses when I was self employed was simple: I wrote off a % of the rent and utilities that were used for business purposes.

When I incorporated, I applied the same logic to the corporation. I paid the home expenses from my personal accounts, and then reimbursed myself from the corporation for the business portion use of the property, and then filed that as an operating expense for the corporation.

But I was speaking to the CRA recently and apparently this isn't how it works with a corporation? They said you need to pay a "rent" to the property owner for the space that is used to run the business, that is equivalent to fair market value.

I was wondering if it's possible to phrase this "rent" in the written agreement as being paid as the "business portion of the property used, plus utilities"? And then I would pay that amount each month to me personally, and at the end of the year it gets totaled and claimed as a write off for the corporation. That way the "rent" paid by the corporation exactly matches the "rental income" received personally, which matches the % of home expenses used to run the business. So they should cancel each other out and I wouldn't need to declare any rental income. Is this the simplest solution and would the CRA allow this?

Also, another factor is that I now live in a household with two other co-owners. So we each own 1/3 of the property, and I'm paying 33% of the mortgage personally.

The way I calculating business use of the property was taking a % of the 33% ownership in the property (45%), not 100% of the mortgage interest expense. But I had loosely heard from another accountant that I should be claiming 100% of the 33% of the mortgage interest + utilities as a business write-off by the corporation, and this is fair. I was also wondering if I did claim 100% if this would jeopardize losing principal residence exemption on my share when the property is sold making a portion of the gains taxable? So should I be staying under 50% claimed for business use of my 1/3rd share, even though most of the space is used for business purposes?

One last question, if I could write off 100% of the 1/3rd portion of my mortgage, could I also have done this while self-employed? And does this only apply to the mortgage interest expense, or does it also apply to utilities and property taxes?

I also have an accountant (I've had a few over the years) and they tell me different things, and then I speak with the CRA and they tell me something else, and what's even more confusing depending on which representitive from the CRA I get, they word things differently. So it's all a bit difficult to wrap my head around.

Any advice or input is appreciated! Thanks.