Preservation and Longevity of comics

[Hado]

Two weeks ago we had a crazy heat wave here, while it didn't get as hot as Texas or some states, the humidity was insane and there were storms knocking out power and rolling blackouts. While sweating my tail off at work all I could do was think about my A/C going out and my poor worthless books being hot.

[Tony S]

Two weeks ago we had a crazy heat wave here, while it didn't get as hot as Texas or some states, the humidity was insane and there were storms knocking out power and rolling blackouts. While sweating my tail off at work all I could do was think about my A/C going out and my poor worthless books being hot.

 

I don't think the books in your signature line look so worthless. But anyway, I admire your parental-like concern for your books.

[Tony S]

Hello All,

 

I have a question in regards to the preservation of my comic books. I essentially wanted to know which of the following two environments would be a better place to store my books.

 

Option A: A room in which the humidity is kept at a constant 47% but the temperature is slightly high, at a constant of 80 degrees.

 

Option B: A room where the humidity is often fluctuating between 50%-60% but has a cooler constant temperature of 75 degrees.

 

Im really interested to know if its better to have a constant humidity at a higher temperature or a fluctuating humidity at a lower temperature.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

Neither. 68-77 Fahrenheit and 35% humidity is where you wanna be.

 

There seems to be some debate amoung experts as to what the ideal humidity is. I've read 35% before - but it's more common to see 40-45% listed as ideal and up to 60% as OK. Especially for newsprint. I've read where some experts think 35% is too dry.

 

 

[Hado]

Two weeks ago we had a crazy heat wave here, while it didn't get as hot as Texas or some states, the humidity was insane and there were storms knocking out power and rolling blackouts. While sweating my tail off at work all I could do was think about my A/C going out and my poor worthless books being hot.

 

I don't think the books in your signature line look so worthless. But anyway, I admire your parental-like concern for your books.

well that's nice of you, I was also worried about the boxes and boxes of 90's Drek.

[loadstone]

I think there's some misunderstanding about the use of the term humidity its fluctuations to temperature fluctuations. I may be misunderstanding it too but as it's defined this is how it seems to me:

1st: humidity is generally referred to as relative humidity which is the ratio of the fractional pressure of water vapor in an air/water environment (such as the one we all live) to the saturation point of vapor water pressure at a specific temperature and pressure. Formula looks something like:

RH =[ (current water vapor pressure at temp X and Pressure Y)/(max water vapor pressure at temperature X and Pressure Y)]x100%

2nd The relative humidity depends on the temperature as well on the atmospheric pressure of the environment. In other words 50% humidity at 65 degress at 1 Atmosphere is different from 50% humidity at 80 degrees and 1 atm which is different from 50% humidity at 65% and 2 atm due to the effect temperature and pressure can have on the saturation point and the air density.

3rd. The saturation vapor pressure of water in air goes up as the temperature goes up. Thus, as the temperature increases, the RH will decrease. As Temps decrease, the RH will increase.

Unless you can control the pressure at home, your RH is mostly dependent upon your temperature which hopefully you do have the means and budget of controlling. the opposite is true if the pressure goes up. The RH will go up as well. But since we usually don't experience as large of pressure changes as we do temperature changes in our every day environment, temps are what we focus more on.

 

Therefore, if you want a steady RH level at 50%, you're primary priority is to keep your temperature from fluctuating wildly (5-10+ degrees) as this can mean the sudden drop/increase of RH. Unless you keep your home at a constant 85+ degrees or 60 or less degrees, the temperature level is secondary, but I would still try to maintain the temperature at a low but comfortable setting.

 

So which is the ideal percentage of relative humidity at the ideal temperature? IMHO, barely scientific opinion, I'd strive for both a constant humidity percentage at a constant temperature say 45% at 70 degrees. Why 70 degrees? Because any lower (65 degrees) and it feels too damned cold for me and any higher and it starts to feel too damned hot for me. Why 45% rh? Because according to the formula, 45% at 70 is closer to 50% at 65 (correct me if I'm wrong but read somewhere that was ideal) I'm guessing the humidity differences from small ranges of comfortable room temperatures 70 degrees to 73 degrees probably isn't that bad. But in extreme weather and climate zones, rapid swings in temperatures can mean big swings in absolute humidity levels despite reading the same relative humidity percentages.

 

I'll understand if this comes off as incomprehensible and totally erroneous but it's 4am so I'm willing to account for error due to sleepiness. g'nite

[slym2none]

That's OK, I didn't read it anyway.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[namisgr]

OP must live in Florida or the Carribbean, because both of those rooms have an awful lot of humidity.

 

I'd vote for a move to Colorado.

[Bosco685]

OP must live in Florida or the Carribbean, because both of those rooms have an awful lot of humidity.

 

I'd vote for a move to Colorado.

 

Bingo!

[Tony S]

OP must live in Florida or the Carribbean, because both of those rooms have an awful lot of humidity.

 

I'd vote for a move to Colorado.

 

Florida and the Caribbean ain't the only places humid. Southern Indiana is sticky hot nearly all summer long. Relative humidty of 90% isn't uncommon around here. I have in-laws in Colorado - first time out there I was totally amazed at how much different (better) 90 degrees felt in CO with the humidity at 40%.

 

My comics are good - if you have sized your AC unit properly - and I have - then both temps and relative humidity are where they should be.

[towards2112]

In the Houston area if you have no A/C to protect your comic books, much

less yourself, you will die. And your comic books will wilt from the massive

humidity, then later in the day they will burst into flame spontainiously due

to the extreme temperature. Then Bedrock City would close, and fanboys

all throughout Texas would have nothing to do on a Saturday morning.....

[InvstmntComcSuply]

Based on the two options I would choose the one that was more convenient and more to my liking.

 

There is not enough difference between the two to really matter.

[oakman29]

In the Houston area if you have no A/C to protect your comic books, much

less yourself, you will die. And your comic books will wilt from the massive

humidity, then later in the day they will burst into flame spontainiously due

to the extreme temperature. Then Bedrock City would close, and fanboys

all throughout Texas would have nothing to do on a Saturday morning.....

In California it's pretty much perfect.

 

Just had to gloat.

[fantastic_four]

Hello All,

 

I have a question in regards to the preservation of my comic books. I essentially wanted to know which of the following two environments would be a better place to store my books.

 

Option A: A room in which the humidity is kept at a constant 47% but the temperature is slightly high, at a constant of 80 degrees.

 

Option B: A room where the humidity is often fluctuating between 50%-60% but has a cooler constant temperature of 75 degrees.

 

Im really interested to know if its better to have a constant humidity at a higher temperature or a fluctuating humidity at a lower temperature.

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

Option A is better. Unchanging conditions is the most important factor since there isn't a tremendous difference between 75 and 80 degrees. Both temperatures are a bit high but neither is horrible.

[slym2none]

Aren't you the one who posted 5,230 replies to yourself in a "Testing" thread?

 

 

Not 5,230. but yes I experimented with a testing thread.

 

Why won't you tell me what you needed to test 5000+ times?

 

Was this ever resolved?

 

 

 

 

-slym

[dgarthwaite-migration]

I'd go with option B and make sure my comics were bagged.

 

DG

[icefires]

OP must live in Florida or the Carribbean, because both of those rooms have an awful lot of humidity.

 

I'd vote for a move to Colorado.

 

Bingo!

 

Colorado

 

Tomorrow is the big day.

[jimbo_707]

I'd always heard the colder the better. Wasn't there even a place that advertised cold storage of comic books in the price guides back in the 80s?

 

I heat my house to 66°F in the winter (that's about 19°C for you metric types) and air condition it to 70°F (21°C) in the summer. I realize that a constant temperature would be ideal, but that 4-degree difference is a compromise in order minimize energy usage.

[BarryAllen]

Aren't you the one who posted 5,230 replies to yourself in a "Testing" thread?

 

 

Not 5,230. but yes I experimented with a testing thread.

 

Why won't you tell me what you needed to test 5000+ times?

 

Was this ever resolved?

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

Sure, but no.

 

Maybe if you post the question +4,000 times you might get the answer you're looking for...

[Gunnz]

Humidity? My my books are in my bedroom in open top bins on a multi unit shelving thingamadoo.... and my gf likes to sleep with the windows open in the summer. And fall. oh, and spring. Ah, ya and winter.

 

Humidity. HA! I'm more concerned with my books having freezer burn.

 

...also frostbite on my jiggly bits is a worry.

[Dr. Balls]

Humidity? My my books are in my bedroom in open top bins on a multi unit shelving thingamadoo.... and my gf likes to sleep with the windows open in the summer. And fall. oh, and spring. Ah, ya and winter.

 

Humidity. HA! I'm more concerned with my books having freezer burn.

 

...also frostbite on my jiggly bits is a worry.

 

+1

 

I live in Montana. We have very little humidity. I keep my books in the basement, which stays around 65-72 degrees year round.