climate control for poster storage - cheaper alternatives?

[Juli]

I have a portable air conditioner but to run it at the needed temperature to properly preserve my movie posters (and other paper collectibles) would cost me about $1200 a year. I am unemployed and have been for a while so I am looking for cheaper alternatives.

I was wondering if there was a cheaper way to keep my collection cooled at 68 degrees (the maximum temperature allowed for paper item storage that is acceptable for proper preservation) during the warmer months? The other thing that is important is that it must be kept at 68 degrees with very little temperature variation. This is not a problem unless the power goes out and that problem could only be solved by buying a generator which would cost me a bit.

Fortunately I found a cheaper way to keep humidity down/stable by using Silica Gel packets. I am hoping that there is also a cheaper way to cool the area where the paper items are stored.

I thought about buying a fridge (and somehow setting the inside temperature to 68 degrees) but the humidity is very high in fridges. I wasn't sure if putting Silica Gel inside a fridge would work or not. Also would running the fridge end up costing just as much as running a portable air conditioner?

A climate controlled storage locker is not adequate because their temperature settings are not cool enough. They have them set at 75-80 degrees which is much too high for the recommended 68 degree max for paper items.

How do you keep your collection cool during the summer months?

Thanks

~ Juli

[CJ138]

I keep my posters in my basement.  No sunlight, consistently cool with a dehumidifier running 24/7.  I did not know 68 was the ideal temp for poster storage but that is about where my basement stays (cooler in the winter).  I guess I would do a portable AC unit and dehumidifier in a small room.  Do you think as long as there is not too much variation with the temp the paper will be ok?  For instance if your place is about 70 degrees year round?

Conor

[Juli]

Do you think as long as there is not too much variation with the temp the paper will be ok?  For instance if your place is about 70 degrees year round?

Yes, but 70 is a little too high. 68 is the maximum considered in the ideal range. I think the accepted range is 59-68 degrees F. If the temperature is constantly the same, the humidity should be about the same as long as I'm dehumidifying it at an acceptable level (40%-60%) at the same level constantly without too much variation.

~ Juli

[50s]

A climate controlled storage locker is not adequate because their temperature settings are not cool enough. They have them set at 75-80 degrees which is much too high for the recommended 68 degree max for paper items.

If you are considering external storage, maybe consider a storage facility that has a wine vault or cellar? The temperature is around 15 degrees (59 F) @70% humidity. I assume you have your own accessible space so I guess you can stick posters in there instead of wine. Something like this

[50s]

Actually humidity for good paper conservation I think should be around 35% so maybe scrap this idea.

[Juli]

Actually humidity for good paper conservation I think should be around 35% so maybe scrap this idea.

yeah 70% humidity is way too high for paper. I also would really prefer to keep my posters and paper items at home in my bedroom.

~ Juli

[guest8]

You guys seriously consider this stuff when storing?? I mean we collect movie posters, its not like its the US Constitution or anything. I keep all my stuff in a flat file in my office and currently we heat our home at 70 and I cool the room to 65ish in the summer, I do have an AC unit in that room but its not because of the posters my servers are in that room too and if I dont cool it they over heat.

If I had basement storage Id probably consider a dehumidifier just because its a cheap one time payment .. But going to tall this trouble seems excessive to me ..

[Ari]

^ agreed, shite if some saw how and where my posters are stored I think they might cry.

[50s]

I'd love to see your poster storage facility again Ari!

[brude]

I'd love to see your poster storage facility again Ari!

Isn't it under the shed where the green wombats dream?