High relative humidity can encourage mold growth and pest activity, while low relative humidity can lead to desiccation and embrittlement High relative humidity increases the risk of mold growth and pest activity. However, different materials may require different standards…
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Bs 4971:2017 states ‘although no single set of environmental conditions is ideal for storing every type of archive material, to slow the rate of decay of all archive material there should be an emphasis on keeping the temperature low and the rh moderate’.
Storage facilities that have high levels of absolute or relative humidity encourage insect pest activities and the growth of mold
Conversely, conditions being excessively dry can cause archival material to become brittle. The ideal storage temperature ranges between 18°c and 22°c, while humidity should be maintained between 40% and 55% Deviations from these ranges can lead to damage High humidity promotes mould and ink bleeding, while low humidity risks brittleness and warping.
Uctuations in temperature and relative humidity are also damaging Archival aterials are hygroscopic, readily absorbing and releasing moisture Maintain the environmental conditions at the same temperature and relative humidity 24 hours a day, seven days a week Do not store permanent records in attics, basements, under skylights or in barns, equipment sheds, or any other facility lacking the capacity for heating and cooling as needed.
Detailed relative humidity recommendations are found in section 3.5 of this chapter
