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?
– 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 …
arrow 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

Australia’s climatic zones

ARID
An arid climate is generally very dry.
For example: . . . .
. Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Broken Hill 25% 75% 12.1ºC 23.7ºC
Kalgoorlie 23% 74% 11.5ºC 25.1ºC
Alice Springs 17% 65% 16.3ºC 33ºC
In arid areas, it is often very hot during the day and very cold at night. This wide fluctuation is matched by wide fluctuations in relative humidity. Take Alice Springs for example:
.• temperatures have been known to range from 42ºC to 20ºC in summer;
.• and in winter from 18ºC to -5ºC; and
.• relative humidity can range from 75%–20%.

TEMPERATE
A temperate climate is considered a moderate climate.
For example: . . . .
. Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Launceston 44% 90% 6.2ºC 16.8ºC
Adelaide 34% 79% 12ºC 22.1ºC
Ballarat 40% 91% 7.3ºC 17.4ºC
However extreme and fluctuations can be experienced in temperate areas. Take Adelaide for example:
.• temperatures have been known to range from 40ºC to 15ºC in a day;
.• relative humidity can range from 100%–30%; and
.• when it is hot in Adelaide it is often quite dry.
Temperate climates tend to have a greater range of temperatures than tropical climates and may include extreme climatic variations.

TROPICAL
Tropical climates occur north of the Tropic of Capricorn. They are characterised by heavy rainfall, high humidity and high temperatures..
For example: . . . .
. Av. Min RH Av. Max RH Av. Min Temp Av. Max Temp
Darwin 43% 85% 23.8ºC 31.6ºC
Townsville 51% 75% 19.5ºC 28.6ºC
Average readings do not give a very good indication of the extremes that can be experienced. In Darwin, for example:
.• temperatures can range from 35ºC to 20ºC in a day;
.• relative humidity can range from 100%–50%; and
.• high temperature and relative humidity tend to coincide.
Note: Townsville may not be considered tropical—it may be more accurately classified as sub-tropical. It must be remembered that these categories are only a guide. Climates change gradually and there are many areas in Australia that would be difficult to place in these very broad categories.....
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