Heat Humidity and guns

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Currently my gun room is under the eve of my second floor facing north. it was originally a storage area with forced hot water heat, so it stays about 58 in the winter, which is what we keep our bedrooms at. it is 8x12 with the insulated roof making a ceiling that slopes from the top to the floor. It is alarmed and has no windows.
This time of year our upstairs is about 90 degrees and 80 percent humidity. The closed gun room is 92 degrees but 45% humidity because I have a dehumidifier running in the gun room.

Does the excessive (to me) heat hurt the guns? I wouldn't think so, would think it is humidity that can hurt them.

 

[soloman02]

Heat? No, not at that temperature anyway. Humidity? Yes. Humidity, I think, will cause unprotected metal to rust over time. A nice coating of CLP or other lube on all metal surfaces will prevent rust. Also, mold can also grow on the stock in high humidity if the stock is wood.

You seem to have the humidity well under control so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[smokey-seven]

45% humidity and 92 degrees will most assuredly effect the wood in stocks. Heat and humidity at those levels will cause shrinkage and cracking. 65% is recommended and low eighties is better. I prefer 75 degrees. If you have all plastic stocks, then you are good to go.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Smokey
Great point about the wood stocks! I will adjust the dehumidifer to run 65% I had a grandfather clock that my uncle had in Las Vegas and the wood was shrinking, of course they have humidity in the 5-10% range max.

I have alot of wood stocks on my military rifles.

Thanks!

 

[napoleon1815]

I am in the same boat as you...I run a dehunmidifer in my basement and it keeps the room in the 38% range. I didnt' think of wood stocks...I have some 1903's I should look at. Maybe I will turn it up to reach the 50's. The room is 81 degrees...heat is fine, it's the humidity (as noted above by soloman02). Actually the dehumidifer gives off heat...the room it's in is 7-8 degrees warmer than the rest of the basement.

 

[boatman]

Just a fyi... I ran a power meter on my dehumidifier. This thing sucks up huge amounts of energy as during the summer my basement is fairly humid. I had the level set to 45, I am changed it to 60. As you mentioned, it gives off lots of heat, so letting it run less keeps things a bit cooler and saves some money. I don't think there is a huge diff between 45 and 60.

 

[soloman02]

45% humidity and 92 degrees will most assuredly effect the wood in stocks. Heat and humidity at those levels will cause shrinkage and cracking. 65% is recommended and low eighties is better. I prefer 75 degrees. If you have all plastic stocks, then you are good to go.

I wouldn't think 45% humidity would cause the wood to shrink or crack. Is it a combination of heat and that humidity level that would cause that?

At least no one has to worry about UV rays bleaching the color of the wood

 

[cosmo123]

Isn't there a "packet" or something that I can put in my gun safe to absorb moisture?

 

[soloman02]

Isn't there a "packet" or something that I can put in my gun safe to absorb moisture?

Yes, they are called desiccant packets. Also known as silica packets.