NatureHelen:

Whether it is good to seal the doors depends on the materials you are
putting in the closet, how you will be accessing the materials and the
effects of the outer wall exposure.

If you have materials (such as film suffering from vinegar syndrome) that
produce destructive out-gassing, sealing the closet is not a good idea.

In addition, the environment you are sealing into the closet when you close
the closet doors will be strongly affected by the ambient conditions at that
specific time.  If you are accessing the materials during times when the
building AC is not working, you may actually seal in heat and moisture.

Finally, determine the effects of the outside wall on the space.  If you
seal the closet, does heat/moisture seepage from the outside wall make the
closet warmer/damper than the office space that is sometimes
air-conditioned?

In VERY broad strokes, there are three basic goals you want to achieve when
storing materials.  In order of importance they are:

1) Protect materials from from things that will accelerate decay such as
acidic (or destructive) out-gassing, excessive moisture, biologicals, and
direct sunlight.

2) Control (lower) temperature to reduce the speed at which decay can occur.

3) Control temperature and humidity fluctuations to reduce stresses caused
by the expansion/contraction of materials.

While there are exceptions, in general, addressing item #3 by sealing a
storage area before addressing # 1 and 2 will be counter-productive by
sealing material in a destructive environment.  Likewise, addressing item #
2 by lowering the temperature in a storage area before addressing #1 often
does not eliminate the danger of the destructive influences (unless you
lower the temperature to or below the freezing point- which can present
other problems).  All too often materials are destroyed by being stored in a
nice cool basement that happens to be damp and a perfect breeding ground for
fungus.


Peter Brothers
President
SPECS BROS., LLC
(973)777-5055
www.specsbros.com

Restoration and Disaster Recovery Service Since 1983


  -----Original Message-----
  From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Helen Wong Smith
  Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 7:20 PM
  To: [log in to unmask]
  Subject: Closet environment for small collection (completed message)


  Pardon my sending the below incomplete!



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
  From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Helen Wong Smith
  Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 1:09 PM
  To: [log in to unmask]
  Subject: Closet environment for small collection


  Aloha!

  I'm to provide three levels of closet modifications for a small collection
I'm in the process of processing.  It's a two-door wooden closet  within the
general office area (A/C NOT 24/7)  with one side against an exterior wall.
Here's what I've come up with so far:

  Low-cost          Coat/Paint shelves with appropriate  moisture-borne
polyurethane.

  Medium-cost     Same, install rubber gasket around the doors.

  Higher-cost        Same, install dehumidifier and/or fan installed.

  My question, is the environment made worse by preventing air circulation
(what little there may be) with the gaskets around the door?  What order and
treatments would you prescribe for this small space?

  Mahalo piha, helen

  Helen Wong Smith, MLIS, CA
  Historical/Cultural Specialist
  Land Assets Division - Kamehameha Schools
  Phone/Fax:
  O`ahu - 534-8193/523-6374
  Hawai`i - 982-0485/982-0423

  You may have the Universe if I may have Italy. --- Verdi




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