Dehumidifier use question.

[Grayskull]

Greetings,

I live in So Cal and have a safe located in my garage. Like most of So Cal, it gets hot during the summer and mild during the winter. But I can't really say it gets humid. I get into my safe on a semi regular basis (say, at least twice a month). I've never given much thought to a dehumidifier but was wondering if anyone here (in So Cal or similar climate) has a safe in their garage and would lobby for use of a dehumidifier?

[nac722]

Yes i run the rechargable ones and they do pull humidity and i run my ac all the time. Used to get a little rust but none after. I recharge them every 60 days

[Garv]

Greetings,

I live in So Cal and have a safe located in my garage. Like most of So Cal, it gets hot during the summer and mild during the winter. But I can't really say it gets humid. I get into my safe on a semi regular basis (say, at least twice a month). I've never given much thought to a dehumidifier but was wondering if anyone here (in So Cal or similar climate) has a safe in their garage and would lobby for use of a dehumidifier?

I use a heating rod in the bottom of my garage safe and a jar of rechargeable desiccant pellets near the top shelf.
No problems.

Heater bar (goldenrod) would be a minimum, even inside the house.

Safes are not airtight.

Cost is low so why not protect your stuff?

Do I get paid for being a lobbyist?

[L84CABO]

My advice to people on this topic is always the same...Get the following...

Golden Rod (or similar)
Big container of desiccant (the kind that changes color when it's saturated)
A humidity meter (Ideally the kind that allows you to put the display on the outside of the safe so you can get a reading on the inside without opening the door)

All of the above can be had off Amazon for about $60 give or take. And there's no such thing as overkill when it comes to rust prevention.

You want to check the meter status daily and the guns daily until you're certain you have a stable environment. Then a weekly check and wipe down with a silicone cloth is all you should need to do. You can also give the guns a quick coat of Renaissance Wax before they go in. It's fantastic stuff and you'll find a ton of other uses for it. You may think the price of a can is a little expensive but it lasts forever.

Lastly, given your summer heat situation, you may want to watch the safe daily again once it gets hot...until you're sure things are good. You'll also need to refresh the desiccant in the oven whenever the color changes.

Good luck!

[Yodaman]

Rechargeable are a good option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[deadcoyote]

I've run Goldenrods in both my safes for years. I live in Eureka where it is super humid and it did away with all of my issues. Conversely, both of my safes have tiny holes in the back for the cords to snake into. The Goldenrod comes with the wire unattached to the device for this purpose. I would say check your safe for a similar hole before you invest, although they're cheap.

[Grayskull]

Great advice and information everyone, thank you! I'm all about taking care of the things I own so I'll implement some of these items soon.

[Jeepergeo]

Goldenrod. If in a humid area, add a rechargeable dessicant.

[pennstater]

Agree with the Golden rod. Have had one in my safe since '91. Works.