To Dehumidify Or Not to Dehumidify

[Wee67]

How much does humidity affect our beloved little toys? Especially the glue in packaging, on emblems and even cardboard integrity?

I'm facing my first summer here in Florida and was wondering if I should dish out the $200 to protect my collection with a dehumidifier. We do have central air, but we also do not use it unless things get really, really bad. I'd really hate to see some of my carded figures start to become unattached

If so, any recommendations?

[Zemo]

Your gonna have to use your ac. The next 4 months are going to be brutal. I have mine set at 77 all the time.

[MIB41]

Without question I agree with Zemo. If you want to keep the packaging from fading and your figures intact, then a cool environment is very much needed. Humidity and heat are the two worst enemies of collectors.

[Gorn Captain]

Humidity kills. Once moisture gets into packaging, it's going to linger in there forever, slowly growing mold.
I had stored part of my collection into a room I thought was safe. Months later, we found dampness had got into the cardboard boxes.
Have you ever seen a grown man crying over his toys?

[Wee67]

Humidity kills. Once moisture gets into packaging, it's going to linger in there forever, slowly growing mold.
I had stored part of my collection into a room I thought was safe. Months later, we found dampness had got into the cardboard boxes.
Have you ever seen a grown man crying over his toys?

I think I'm tearing up a the thought! I'll head out to Best Buy today and pick up a dehumidifier. We'll probably turn the AC off while we're at work, so I have to see how the warm the room gets. It is closed off from light, but we are the top floor and we'll get extra heat from the sun.

[thunderbolt]

welcome to FLA. Try Damp Rid, too.

[Earth 2 Chris]

I live in KY, and when the temperature gets over 70, the AC goes on, and stays AT 70. I'd keep it cooler if my wife let me.

Chris

[Zemo]

I think I'm tearing up a the thought! I'll head out to Best Buy today and pick up a dehumidifier. We'll probably turn the AC off while we're at work, so I have to see how the warm the room gets. It is closed off from light, but we are the top floor and we'll get extra heat from the sun.

What I think you'll find is that, in FL with Central air, your better off setting it on auto at a little higher temp when your not home as opposed to keeping it off. What happens is you get home and then turn it on and it keeps running to get the temp down. Your bill end up higher. Just put in a digital thermostat in if it's not and program your temps for the times of day. 80 when your not home, 78 for an hour before you get home and like 76 for when your falling asleep.

[thunderbolt]

we keep ours at 79 all the time. Now that the rain is kicking in, it doesn't run near as much at night.

[Gorn Captain]

It was the combination of a cold room with a source of dampness that killed that part of my collection.
I thought "cool and dark = ok", but mold found its way into tons of vintage stuff. I'm talking SW 12-backs and stuff like that.
I fought the insurance company for 18 months, trying to prove my point. In the end, I only got about 40% of their actual value.
I almost needed therapy after that disaster...

[mikeMc6]

I live in the relatively no humidity pacific northwest and I keep my collection in our basement (gasp) but i have a dehumidifier that runs automatically and keeps the moisture at 50% and cool. High end dehumidifiers run about $200 and you gotta change the bucket every day and a half. When I lived in Levittown, PA I remember the brutally humid summers. Living in Florida would give me a little stress worrying for my collection, I admit. Remember to keep your stuff in room with minimal windows or the least amount of direct sunlight hitting your windows.