The damned humidity! Gun storage questions...

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  • boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    I'm still getting used to no longer being in ultra-dry Idaho. And for some reason, my darlin' wife would like to reclaim more of our floor space at home.

    Does anyone keep their guns in a climate controlled storage unit? How is that working out in keeping them protected?

    Anyone try to climate control their own space in an outdoor barn or workshop? How is THAT working out in keeping them protected?
     

    brucaru

    Active Member
    Sep 14, 2011
    150
    I use a gun safe with a golden rod for humidity control for many years now. No problems
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Yes it needs an outlet. Basically it raises the temperature in the safe maybe 10F or so which reduces the relative humidity about 10-15%. It’ll work well in a conditioned space. It’ll help in an unconditioned space, but a shed, barn or garage with no humidity control is still a bad idea as you are likely facing 80-90%+ humidity on a really humid day. So the safe would be 60-70% relative humidity on a bad day and you really want to keep it no more than 60%, if not more like under 50% (but not under 30% or wood and shrink and crack).

    Ideally you want a space the stays between 50-70F and no more than 70% relative humidity on its own. Then a goldenrod or just renewable dehumidifier pack in the safe can keep it at a good level.

    Sometimes you don’t have a choice of ideal though. Out of curiosity though, how small a space or how large a collection do you have that it can’t fit in a house without being consider taking up “too much space”. Granted, I’ve got a 10x14’ room dedicated to my guns and hunting stuff. But I have a huge house and the guns themselves take up a 26”x32”x56” safe. I could probably squeeze a pair of such 25 gun safes in to a bedroom closet. The rest of the space are storage shelves, work bench and a decent whack of dead space in the room.
     

    davsco

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 21, 2010
    8,607
    Loudoun, VA
    Anyone try to climate control their own space in an outdoor barn or workshop? How is THAT working out in keeping them protected?

    what i did for ammo that doesn't fit in my safe is put it in a couple of the super large plastic bins (rubbermaid etc) and put a goldenrod in each one. you could do that for a larger cabinet etc that had a decent seal on it.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    Not funny. She's armed and looking for you now. She's a better shot than I am...

    I'm not worried. The queue of women I've pissed off is long. She'll probably find something else to be pissed off about in another minute. I'd leave now if I were you.
     

    ToBeFree

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 5, 2011
    2,614
    Highland Cnty-Va
    I would ask what size, volume, of space are you trying to control? Can you build your own? Dehumidifier and heater on control units should get the job done.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    A BIG difference between a safe in a house and safe in an unconditioned garage or shed.

    Of course, you could insulate and condition the garage or shed.
     

    boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    I gotta say...just to be absolutely truthful...that if any of you ever meet my wife you will know that I made it all up as a feeble attempt at humor. She is actually the one that is more concerned about my firearms than am I. She has never so much as frowned at one of my many purchases or at the many, many times I am out shooting one thing or another. She's the one that makes sure I go out and buy firearms specifically for her...think M1 Carbine(s) or a Springfield XDe or a Sig Trailside amongst others. And I'm dead serious in saying that she is a better shot than I am...with the right firearm anyway.



    I'm not worried. The queue of women I've pissed off is long. She'll probably find something else to be pissed off about in another minute. I'd leave now if I were you.
     

    boisepaw

    boisepaw
    Jan 5, 2015
    380
    Eastern shore, MD
    Let's just say that last fall we built a 10' x 22' "shed" thinking one day we would turn it into a guest house.

    It might be turned into a gun and reloading room before it becomes a guest house...


    I would ask what size, volume, of space are you trying to control? Can you build your own? Dehumidifier and heater on control units should get the job done.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Let's just say that last fall we built a 10' x 22' "shed" thinking one day we would turn it into a guest house.

    It might be turned into a gun and reloading room before it becomes a guest house...

    I’d covert it to conditioned storage and workshop. A 110v mini split is less than $1000. Keep it at a vaguely reasonable temp and most can be set to dehumidify mode. Of course if you need someone to install it that’d probably up the price to 2-3x as much (sorry, not sure how much more. I do all my own permitted work).

    Wife and I have been taking about buying a large property in western MD or WV. Thought I’d use it for camping for a couple of years. Then probably build cabins. Very plural.

    Probably building them roughly 12x16. Do a communal bathhouse/cabin. If we move there in retirement probably build a real house. But on the smaller side. Use the cabins as guest houses for the kids visiting. Or if we have grandkids visiting some day. But I’d probably convert one to guns/hunting/ammo work shop. Probably won’t have a house big enough to have that at whatever the next place is.
     

    slsc98

    Ultimate Member
    May 24, 2012
    6,748
    Escaped MD-stan to WNC Smokies
    Probably a dumb question but...doesn't the golden rod get plugged in? Your safe must have an outlet to get it plugged in?

    By mounting the goldenrod as low as practically possible - AND HORIZONTALLY (keep this WIDTH in mind when ordering which LENGTH Goldenrod) - the slightly warm air rises to create a CONVECTION within the closed space ... works incredibly effectively and I lucked out as my multiple Treadloks allow for mounting at a very low point on the inside of the door ...

    Never ceases to amaze me those danged things have been working non-stop - and 4 or 5 interstate moves - for going on OVER FORTY (40!) YEARS!!!!!!!!

    GoldenRod® has a Lifetime Guarantee. Plug it in and forget about it! UL listed and made in the USA.

    https://www.safeandlockstore.com/blog/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-golden-rods-and-gunsavers/
     

    mpollan1

    Foxtrot Juliet Bravo
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 26, 2012
    6,559
    Мэриленд
    I have a goldenrod but am suspicious it does not get warm enough. I can easily hold it in my bare hand without any discomfort so I don't think it does much for raising in safe temps. Am I mistaken?
     

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