Dehumidifying: Sealing air vents?

[Johelmet]

Hello guys!

I've been thinking of using a empty cupboard in my room to store some of my collection, mostly visor hats. The thing is, the door of the cupboard has multiple air vents in it. Living in South-East Asia, the humidity is really high here, and I plan to place one of those disposable dehumidifying boxes in this cupboard. However, I'm wondering weather I should seal these vents. I personally believe that if I seal the vents, the humidity inside will go down thanks to the dehumidifying device and give me a controlled environment, and help prevent mildew. However my family member told me that closing up the vents will do the opposite, and promote mould.

What should I do? Close up the vents or leave them open?

Thanks guys.

[RelicHunter]

There is the potential to create a dark warm environment which could sponsor mold growth. Especially since you live in a naturally humid environment. I think the best course of action would be to keep them out in the open flowing air with a proper dehumidifier. Also, get a small battery powered temp/humidity gauge that will tell you what they are.

Also, if there is any leather in there, and you get it too dry, your leather might start to deteriorate.

[Johelmet]

So I should leave the vents open with a dehumidifier inside?

[RelicHunter]

Its hard to say without trying it. I would give it a shot with your dehumidifier, see how it works, and then if you want, seal it up and see how that works too. Every environment is going to be a little bit different.

[Paul R.]

Its hard to say without trying it. I would give it a shot with your dehumidifier, see how it works, and then if you want, seal it up and see how that works too. Every environment is going to be a little bit different.

Relic Hunter is correct. In many museums that I work with no two museums are alike as far as humidity. Just remember humidity is all around and can get in throught tiny spaces. If you are using some sort of silica gel product. The silica will pull in moisture not only from the inside of the storage cabinet, but also outside the cabinet. A fan will also aid in moving humid air around. You may want to consider a humidity gauge. It may be a good investment.

[RelicHunter]

Relic Hunter is correct. In many museums that I work with no two museums are alike as far as humidity. Just remember humidity is all around and can get in throught tiny spaces. If you are using some sort of silica gel product. The silica will pull in moisture not only from the inside of the storage cabinet, but also outside the cabinet. A fan will also aid in moving humid air around. You may want to consider a humidity gauge. It may be a good investment.

Humidity and to a lesser extent temperature are really a bugger to deal with. Where I live, the relative humidity can range between 10% and 100% depending on the season. It's terrible. I have to keep a humidifier running constantly in the winter to keep it at 40%, and a dehumidifier running constantly in the summer to keep it under 50%.

But if you don't pay attention to these environmental factors, then whats the point of collecting?

[Johelmet]

Okay, thanks guys. I'll experiment with it. I like the idea of using a fan as well, so I'll try it out i I can find a fan that I can place there. Thanks again guys!

[keifer kahn]

Hi Daniel,

I agree with your family member.

Keep the air moving.Its the moisture in the air that does the damage.

Aim for 50% humidity.This is a nicely balanced zone.
Rust starts at about 65%.
Below 30% and you will start to dry items out.

So either remove the moisture from the air(dehumidifier or the boxes) or keep the air moving so the water in it, cant settle on your items.

An electric dehumidfier will provide you with both.

[mario]

Dear Keifer
Once the rust process starts what can be done to stop or treat it? Don´t want to alter the untouched condition of an item.
Thank you for your help!

[keifer kahn]

Hi Mario,

Do nothing except control the environment.Keep it at 50% humidity as best you can.

Keep the climate stable and the rust will become inert.Rust cannot fester without moisture in the air.Temperature is also a factor as cold air contains more water than warm air.So as warm air rises, its preferable to try and keep your collectibles as high up as practibally possible.
Ive done some experiments with my hygrometer and have found you can get a fluctation of up to 10% humidity with the hygrometer on the floor compared to having it at ceiling height.That could be a relevant difference between an item rusting and an item being rust free and all down to the height the item is at in the room.

Id encourage every collector to purchase a De-humidifier.

The only time i would encourage the use of sealers, rustconvertors, etc is if you cant control the environment.That would be a last resort.

[mario]

Keifer
I appreciated your prompt reply to my question!!
Yes I will get a de-humidifier and move some of my items to a more stable environment.
I thought you made a super clever observation about the height we kept our collection at.
A few years ago I purchased some helmets from a collector that lives on a high floor in a very tall building and these helmets were stable for decades without any rust developing.
I am living in a house so I am close to the ground and according to your observation although in the same city the environment I live in has more humidity than the one he is living in. This may have affected some of the items along the years.
Thank you for your good advise and I will try to keep the humidity around 50% and be a lot more careful during winter.
It is a pity that there isn't an efficient way to remove rust damage...

[keifer kahn]

Hi Mario,

Get a Hygrometer as well.Its a simple digital humidity gauge and will tell you the humidity % and temperature.

I live in an environment that on average ranges from 40% during the day to 70% during the night .Over two nights(8 hours each night) running i will get approximately 2 litres of water in the moisture tank. If i didnt have the de-humidifier thats 2 litres of effectively water vapor that would be impacting my items

[RelicHunter]

Be cautious though in winter time. While its true cold air can hold more moisture, if your house gets cold in the winter time, your furnace runs. When your furnace runs, it dries out the air like crazy. Then you will need a humidifier, not a dehumidifier. I have both to use for each season.

[Peter_Suciu]

Be cautious though in winter time. While its true cold air can hold more moisture, if your house gets cold in the winter time, your furnace runs. When your furnace runs, it dries out the air like crazy. Then you will need a humidifier, not a dehumidifier. I have both to use for each season.

I've been cautious of this too. In the winter I have a humifier run but I still maintaint he dehumifier in my basement, where most of my collection is kept.

I actually have two dehumifiers and both have hoses so these run as necessary. I manage to maintain about 65-72 degrees in my basement "bunker" with humidity about 40 percent constant. It seems almost perfect for everything but ironically I find it too chilly to spend much time with my stuff!

[mario]

Hi Mario,

Get a Hygrometer as well.Its a simple digital humidity gauge and will tell you the humidity % and temperature.

I live in an environment that on average ranges from 40% during the day to 70% during the night .Over two nights(8 hours each night) running i will get approximately 2 litres of water in the moisture tank. If i didnt have the de-humidifier thats 2 litres of effectively water vapor that would be impacting my items

Keifer,
Thank you again! I will surely get a hygrometer and a de-humidifier as soon as next week!
Mario