Humidity question...

[Fishman777]

My wife and I recently went on vacation in the grenadines islands. To make a long story short, she slept really well down there and has since decided that she needs to sleep in ultra humid conditions. The humidity was over 60% yesterday night, but she still decided that she needed to run our brand new humidifier on full blast. When I came to bed, I thought that I was entering a sauna. It was absolutely disgusting. I turned the damn thing off and opened the door to "air" the room out. As much as I enjoyed the vacation I now wish we never went.

I'm concerned that my two stainless revolvers are going to rust because of this new, crazy fad of hers. Those two guns are my prized possessions and represent a pretty healthy investment of my hard earned $$$$. When I expressed my concerns, she got on my case about caring more for my "stupid" guns than her health. She doesn't even have any health problems for crying out loud. I am the person with respiratory problems, not her. I am the one that has asthma medication sitting at the bedside, not her.

I have a small honeywell safe and one of those remington dehumidifiers in our closet. Am I being paranoid or do I have a legitimate beef here? Are these guns going to hold up in a safe that could potentially capture the moisture? I close the closet, but I'm sure that it really doesn't make much of a difference. Any thoughts?

 

[ugaarguy]

I have a small honeywell safe and one of those remington dehumidifiers in our closet. Am I being paranoid or do I have a legitimate beef here? Are these guns going to hold up in a safe that could potentially capture the moisture? I close the closet, but I'm sure that it really doesn't make much of a difference. Any thoughts?

What are the guns doing in the safe when you go to bed? One of them should be on the nightstand beside your asthma meds for that different sort of emergency.

Anyway, as for the humidity concerns, get a decent size pack of dessicate and toss it in the little safe. Reactivate the dessicate as needed per the instructions. Get a silicon or oil impregnated gun cloth (or just make an oil rag yourself) and wipe down the guns each morning if they're kept out of the safe where the dessicate isn't protecting them. Using a product like EezOx which leaves a protective residue/film when it dries wouldn't hurt either.

All the above is taking things to the extreme. You're talking a household humidifier. I live in the south where the humidity is high and constant around the clock in the summer. Even then I don't have to do that much to my guns unless I sweat on one. It's good that you want to take precautions because the introduction of increased humidity can cause problems, but very basic gun care will keep the corrosion away.

 

[Lazuris]

FYI Humidity levels over 55-60% will allow mold growth. Also increased humidity levels while comfortable in the Winter, will make your life unbearable in the summer aka Houston in July. You best bet is to keep home humidity levels between 45-50%. At this level you will increase your winter time comfort while prohibiting mold growth. Also if you live in a cold dry area, the mountains, deserts, or places where it snows. You should look at investing a whold house humidifer. It will help releave seasonal discomfort due to dry air.

 

[Deacon Blues]

My guns have survived 95% humidity without any problems. Most of Alabama is pretty humid. Keeping everything oiled has worked for me, although storing them with some silica gel packs couldn't hurt.

BTW, with those humidifiers, you can actually end up with water damage from condensation in the area around it if you actually run it to the point of saturation (as your description suggests). Keep that thing away from the walls.

 

[CWL]

"two stainless" revolvers? I don't think you have that big of a worry. Just take a look at them every week and wipe them with a silicon cloth, you can also wax them.

 

[Fishman777]

Thanks for the input...

I managed to talk the wifie down from her position. I managed to convince her that really wasn't the humidity that made her sleep so well. That area is about the cleanest, freshest, most oxygen-rich air that anybody could ever hope to breathe. She agreed to only run the humidifier if it gets really dry.

I am pretty much doing what you all have recommended. I feel a lot better knowing that the "other women" are safe. Now I just gotta convince her that our little family needs another addition. Maybe an sp101 or a 4" Redhawk. I really want an autoloader, but I can't seem to shake my revolver obsession. They just look, feel, and shoot perfect.

 

[Slugless]

will make your life unbearable in the summer aka Houston in July

+1. The mold in Houston is terrible. I wouldn't do that by choice. I got HEPA air filters at home & work to control mold allergies.

If you have a safe and the dessicants "fill up" pretty fast, get a VCI emitter. VCI = Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor. It's a sponge or strip impregnated with inhibitor and the sponge slowly releases it to keep your guns coated with corrosion inhibitor. VCI also comes as CLP, oil, wax, gun sleeves, wrapping paper, etc. I got a couple pieces of VCI wrap paper from work to use on M1A magazines. You could wrap the revolvers in VCI paper. I'm going to try some bullfrog products, www.bull-frog.com. Their parent company makes excellent VCIs that are used by the Navy. I figure if it's good enough for the Navy....