Even if you only keep a gun in your gun safe, humidity or moisture in the safe can be a disaster. Keep other things in there along with your gun and the effects can be even worse such as rust on your gun or discoloration and damage to your valuable documents. Jewelry can tarnish and medications can decompose.
Even more damage can occur if there are significant changes in temperature. Moisture can turn to condensation and standing water.
Because of this, it is vital that you control the Amount of humidity in your safe.
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Perhaps the easiest way to do this is choosing the location of the safe well.
It stands to reason that places such as garages or sheds, or some basements where there is no climate control or air conditioning suffer such temperature changes and high humidity, but it may surprise you to know that other areas in your nice air conditioned house present similar problems.
Laundry rooms, bathrooms, and kitchens may be climate controlled, but they all contain “appliances” that create significant amounts of moisture. The amount of water put into the atmosphere around washing machines and dishwashers or similar equipment is large and can enter gun safes in nearby locations, and in bathrooms just look at the mirror after your next shower to see how much water is in the air!
So, you need to factor in these elements when choosing a location for your gun safe.
However, if you must place your safe in an area susceptible to humidity or temperature change, there are things you can do to protect your weapon and valuables.
Types of Dehumidifiers
There are several types of dehumidifiers on the market and we will look here at just a few.
· Dehumidifier Rods
These are actually heating rods and are more useful for larger safes. They come in various sizes but most of them have a power cable and require a mains hook up. They heat the air so that the temperature in the safe is higher than the air outside. This reduces humidity and prevents any moisture present from turning into condensation.
· Wireless Rechargeable Dehumidifiers
These work in a similar way to the dehumidifier rods but do not require a constant power source. Simply charge and you are ready to go for up to 6 weeks until the unit needs recharging.
· Desiccant Dehumidifiers
There are many types of desiccant dehumidifiers in many sizes. I’ve lumped them all together in one group here because they all work in the same way. They are called desiccant because the contain a moisture-absorbing material such as silica gel that directly absorbs water from the surrounding air.
They are excellent for smaller safes or safes where there is no power supply available. They may come in packs, cans, or other forms, and the only thing you need to do is, based on the size of your safe and the size of the desiccant package, buy enough of them to dry all the air in your safe.
One more great thing about the desiccant dehumidifiers is that they can last for months, and when they become saturated you don’t throw them out: they are reusable.
So that is a look at the various types of gun safe dehumidifiers. Like everything else they can range from extremely affordable to very expensive, but the choice is so large you will have no problem finding something suitable for your needs.
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This is some really good information about gun safety. It does seem like a good idea to do what you suggested about gun safety. It does seem like a good idea to have a professional help with finding the best place to put the safe. It probably isn’t the best idea to put the safe in a cold musty place.