Caring for Cultural Material 1

Caring for Cultural Material 2

Damage and Decay

Managing Collections

Managing People

Handling, Transportation, Storage and Display

Glossary

Index

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Damage and Decay
In this volume:
– Light and Ultraviolet Radiation
arrow Humidity and Temperature
– Biological Pests
– Dust and Pollutants
– Common Deterioration Processes
– Acknowledgments
Humidity and Temperature
In this chapter:
– Objectives
– Introduction
– What is relative humidity?
– How does relative humidity change?
– Why worry about relative humidity and temperature?
arrow Can the damage be prevented?
– Identifying the source of the problem
– What can be done to minimise damage?
– Modifying the conditions in buildings
– A word of caution about travelling exhibitions and loans
– In an ideal world …
– Australia’s climatic zones
  MORE ABOUT RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE
– Measuring relative humidity
– Dehumidifiers
– Humidifiers and steam generators
– The use of silica gel
– For further reading
– Self-evaluation quiz
– Answers to self-evaluation quiz

 

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Humidity and Temperature

Can the damage be prevented?

Damage to objects and collections cannot always be prevented totally; but it can certainly be limited and slowed by controlling the relative humidity and temperature.

The most significant effect temperature can have in a museum, gallery or library environment is the way it can alter relative humidity levels.

Relative humidity and temperature are closely linked; and it is helpful to understand this link when setting out to control the environment where collections and items of value are stored.

Remember that for a fixed quantity of moisture in a given air space, as temperature rises, the relative humidity drops and, as the temperature drops, the relative humidity rises.

 

 

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