Best Defense for Gun Room Humidity?

[Quacked]

What about going through the wall into another basement room?

Yes.... That is another option, use the main area for a big dehumidifier and cut some vents in the walls of the closet.. you could even cut some vents in the top and bottom of the closet doors and add some small fans to move the air in and out of the room.

[MT1]

What about going through the wall into another basement room?

That's a thought. Unfortunately that would route all cleaning chemical smells into my daughter's bedroom. While I like the smell of Hoppes No 9 and Frog Lube it would probably give her a constant headache.

Due to the location of the room and the entry door it isn't even apparent the room exists. A fan or duct between the rooms would also point out the existence to repairmen, visitors, etc.

I like the idea. In hindsight I should have installed a low wattage exhaust fan and routed the exhaust to an exterior wall. I don't know that I want to cut a 20 foot path through a finished dry wall ceiling now.

[Parrisk]

I put a big dehumidifier in my basement, it doesn't need to be in my gun room and it is making my entire house too dry. The humidity is under 20% all the time. the basement is about 800 sq ft. I have the hose from the dehumidifier in a floor drain so I don't have to empty it every day. It would fill to the top in a day and a half if I didn't have the hose attached. It's been constantly running for years and I have no idea how it hasn't burned out yet. The other benefit is that it keeps the basement at a nice temperature all year round.

Basically exactly what I did.. but have it set at 45 or 50%. Won't run much in the Winter once I fire up the wood stove

I like the simplicity and results of your approach. Unfortunately it's not an option for me based on the layout of the first floor.

Here's another item I found locally. 18" dehumidifier rod (generic Golden Rod) at Bed, bath & Beyond for $36. My wife always has 20% off coupons for this place so that put it under $30. It's rated for 300 cubic feet so I'd need at least three of them if this was all I was relying on. Combined with the other measures I'll start with just one.

Attachment 111049

Yeah but all they do is warm the air so it rises causing convection.. they don't remove humidity, they just stir it up... OR????

[Berncly]

That's a thought. Unfortunately that would route all cleaning chemical smells into my daughter's bedroom. While I like the smell of Hoppes No 9 and Frog Lube it would probably give her a constant headache.

Due to the location of the room and the entry door it isn't even apparent the room exists. A fan or duct between the rooms would also point out the existence to repairmen, visitors, etc.

I like the idea. In hindsight I should have installed a low wattage exhaust fan and routed the exhaust to an exterior wall. I don't know that I want to cut a 20 foot path through a finished dry wall ceiling now.

That's your answer right there.
You need to vent the room to the exterior of the house using 4 or 6 inch duct with a fan to suck the air out in one direction.
You should not be using volatile chemicals in a sealed space with no ventilation to begin with.
The other occupants of the house are also breathing that stuff in whether they know it or not.
Venting the room properly is your only sensible solution.

[MT1]

That's your answer right there.
You need to vent the room to the exterior of the house using 4 or 6 inch duct with a fan to suck the air out in one direction.
You should not be using volatile chemicals in a sealed space with no ventilation to begin with.
The other occupants of the house are also breathing that stuff in whether they know it or not.
Venting the room properly is your only sensible solution.

It's not like I have a 30 gallon open top parts washer filled with MEK. We all know a little bit of gun solvent on a cleaning swab smells strong. Most of my cleaners, Frog Lube for example, are not volatile. I'm guessing your wife wears SCBA and a level A hazmat suit when she sprays the furniture with End Dust? Do you have a vent hood in the bathroom when you use aerosol deodorant, hairspray, Lysol....?

I'm not trying to be a dick but you're making a huge jump spinning the smell of gun care components into a super fund site. When you have a lot of firearms and maintain them there will be associated smells. You make it sound like I'm one spark away from a mushroom cloud. I can assure you there is no volatile situation.

[MT1]

Basically exactly what I did.. but have it set at 45 or 50%. Won't run much in the Winter once I fire up the wood stove



Yeah but all they do is warm the air so it rises causing convection.. they don't remove humidity, they just stir it up... OR????

That makes sense but if that's the case how come I no longer have humidity in my safe? Prior to installing the Golden Rod in my safe I had issues with holsters and slings getting a musty smell. Once it was installed it went away. Does the heat of the rod "push" the moisture out of the safe?

[Berncly]

It's not like I have a 30 gallon open top parts washer filled with MEK. We all know a little bit of gun solvent on a cleaning swab smells strong. Most of my cleaners, Frog Lube for example, are not volatile. I'm guessing your wife wears SCBA and a level A hazmat suit when she sprays the furniture with End Dust? Do you have a vent hood in the bathroom when you use aerosol deodorant, hairspray, Lysol....?

I'm not trying to be a dick but you're making a huge jump spinning the smell of gun care components into a super fund site. When you have a lot of firearms and maintain them there will be associated smells. You make it sound like I'm one spark away from a mushroom cloud. I can assure you there is no volatile situation.

It wasn't meant as an attack.
You asked for solutions, that's your solution.
I don't know how old your kids are, but they should not be breathing that stuff with no ventilation.
Fix the venting and you solve all the issues, one and done.
I'm not married.

[MT1]

It wasn't meant as an attack.
You asked for solutions, that's your solution.
I don't know how old your kids are, but they should not be breathing that stuff with no ventilation.
Fix the venting and you solve all the issues, one and done.
I'm not married.

I didn't feel it was an attack. I'm just giving you a hard time because you offered a solution for a problem that hasn't been discovered. The thread is about humidity control, not chemical fumes.

Glad to hear you're not married. On Sunday night my wife asked me why I have so many guns and mentioned I should sell some. Maybe I should reconsider my impact to the oxygen quality in the house.

I do appreciate your input.

[Berncly]

I didn't feel it was an attack. I'm just giving you a hard time because you offered a solution for a problem that hasn't been discovered. The thread is about humidity control, not chemical fumes.

Glad to hear you're not married. On Sunday night my wife asked me why I have so many guns and mentioned I should sell some. Maybe I should reconsider my impact to the oxygen quality in the house.

I do appreciate your input.

The exterior venting with suction will prevent any moisture buildup and solve all those related issues.
The air quality is just another benefit and may be just as important is all I meant.
I tend to be very careful when it comes to kids and chemicals since they are more vulnerable than adults.

[MT1]

The exterior venting with suction will prevent any moisture buildup and solve all those related issues.
The air quality is just another benefit and may be just as important is all I meant.
I tend to be very careful when it comes to kids and chemicals since they are more vulnerable than adults.

Good point. My daughter turns 20 tomorrow so the kid days are in the past. On that note she spends her fair share of time in there helping me reload.