Best Defense for Gun Room Humidity?

[Gunowner99]

What is the ideal humidity?

[MT1]

50% relative humidity is what I've found.

To give you a comparison mold flourishes at 80% humidity. I don't have "flourishing" mold, just a spot here and there on 2 leather slings as of last night. But... that shit grows fast once it starts.

[Gunowner99]

Okay, I rnge from 35-55 depending on time of year, dehumidifier in basement keeps it that way.

[MT1]

I stopped at Lowes to see if they have UV lights and the answer was "no". When I explained what it was for the employee did tell me to make sure I get a florescent fixture for a true UV benefit. He explained the newer LED version are only good for the black light effect, they don't emit UV.

So... 10 minutes later I walked out of Party City with this. 18" florescent wall or ceiling mountable UV / Black Light with a 4 ft cord.

light.JPG

[Daycrawler]

My room is of similar size and location. The room would get to hot if just two people were in the room.

I went to home depot and found a duct fan booster thingy and a couple of sections of 4 inch duct. I measured for the intake and cut through the carpet and floor. (Wife was not home for that part, or bitching would have commenced) I then hooked it all up and placed a very nice looking brass floor grate over the opening along with a filter. The fan was wired for 110 so that was easy. The fan was placed on a timer. Basically I am stealing air from the first floor. So now the room is heated and air conditioned as needed. I also have a dehumidifier that drains to the sump pump. That could be removed if needed because it just sits taking up space. IDK the last time it was even powered up. The room also has two thermometers with built in humidity gauges. (Walmart IIRC) One mounted high and one mounted low. The temperature is in the mid 60's to low 70's and adjusted as needed. The humidity gauge reads in the normal range.

This system seems to work very well. I have no rust, mold or mildew. Wooden stock rifles are not too dry and show no signs of cracking and so on. YMMV.

[MT1]

My room is of similar size and location. The room would get to hot if just two people were in the room.

I went to home depot and found a duct fan booster thingy and a couple of sections of 4 inch duct. I measured for the intake and cut through the carpet and floor. (Wife was not home for that part, or bitching would have commenced) I then hooked it all up and placed a very nice looking brass floor grate over the opening along with a filter. The fan was wired for 110 so that was easy. The fan was placed on a timer. Basically I am stealing air from the first floor. So now the room is heated and air conditioned as needed. I also have a dehumidifier that drains to the sump pump. That could be removed if needed because it just sits taking up space. IDK the last time it was even powered up. The room also has two thermometers with built in humidity gauges. (Walmart IIRC) One mounted high and one mounted low. The temperature is in the mid 60's to low 70's and adjusted as needed. The humidity gauge reads in the normal range.

This system seems to work very well. I have no rust, mold or mildew. Wooden stock rifles are not too dry and show no signs of cracking and so on. YMMV.

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.

BBB.JPG

[:-)]

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.

[Gunowner99]

Geez, your house is dry!

[:-)]

I was thinking about getting a humidifier for the house because it's too low... It's a battle between a dry basement and the house being too dry. If I get it to be comfortable in the house, I have a damp basement. When I looked at the house before I bought it they had a humidifier in the bedroom and a dehumidifier in the basement.

The basement with the dehumidifier running has got to 40% on a rainy week though, so it's actually between 20ish nice out and 40ish when it's raining...

[Daycrawler]

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.

BBB.JPG

What about going through the wall into another basement room?