whats the highest level of humidity in your leather room

[ToddW]

I buit a new shop out back for my leatherworking and have an inventory room with shelving..  I started adding the smart devices so I could keep an eye on things.. I have a Black and Decker portable AC/Heat/Dehumidifier in the main room and just added the Sensibo controller.. Also added a Govee remote hygrometer..  The main room has been showing 56% humidity and inventory room around 61%.  I bought the Govee dehumidifier to see if I could keep it below 50% but doesn't seem to move the needle much.. I am thinking I need to seal the workshop, but is is insulated and sheetrocked with moister barrier.. I am in the Dallas/Fort Worth (texas) and its been back and forth on temp.. was in the 80's day before yesterday... upper 40's yesterday and rainy and mid 40's today..  

What started all this was I felt it smelt musty.. I have about 25 backpacks, 25 computer satchels and duffles in the inventory room... I don't anything to happen to my inventory while it sits..

Am I being to concerned or should I do something else as in where should the humidity level be?  The 61% had me a bit concerned..

Edited February 29 by ToddW

[SUP]

Around 45-55% is good.

You could have smaller, portable  dehumidifiers close to where the leather items are stored. I have  2 sensors in the same room, one near the leathers and one some distance away. Depending on whether I place a dehumidifier close to the leathers or not, the humidity readings on these sensors differ. So while you might not e able to get the humidity down in the whole room, you can do so in specific areas.

[ToddW]

my leather storage room is about 6x12 with a barn door I can open or close. to the main workroom. its also insulated..  humidity seems to be sporatic.. up and down... just don't where I need to be concerned.. 

Edited February 29 by ToddW

[SUP]

You could do as I did. I got a humidity monitor with several sensors - placed them all around in the room. Then I could decide which areas needed a humidifier  and which  needed a de-humidifier. I bought several small humidifiers and dehumidifiers and placed them as needed. I check the monitor daily and maintain a healthy humidity for my leathers.

Before that, I bought  those packets of moisture absorbers and placed them near the leathers if the humidity was too high. They helped as well. 

If the door to your inventory room is kept open for long periods, this will not work though. Humidifiers and dehumidifiers are most useful when areas are kept enclosed. I keep the door to my room closed at all times, opening only to enter or leave.,

 

 

Edited February 29 by SUP

[kgg]

1 hour ago, ToddW said:

Am I being to concerned or should I do something else as in where should the humidity level be? 

First off I am going to assume you have a concrete floor and the shop was built recently. I think a contributing factor that maybe adding to the humidity in the shop is the concrete floor.

Concrete is porous and will absorb moisture from the air and vise versa. If a vapor/water barrier wasn't installed or is damaged under the concrete floor moisture will pass through the concrete which will increase humidity. I would check the humidity at floor level and compare it to the readings at normal height.

kgg

[ToddW]

no concrete but shop was recently built.. .. I have 2x6's on cider blocks, moister barrier then 3/4 decking and a pergo wood floor

Edited February 29 by ToddW

[DwightT]

Personally I find it interesting that you are having problems in getting your humidity down to 50%.  I have a whole-house humidifier that is struggling to keep the humidity above 40%.

I remember reading once that people who would buy antique furniture on the east coast and ship it to our area found that the wood would dry up and split out on them.  Makes me wonder if shipping leather goods between moist/dry regions would run into the same issues.

    /dwight

[fredk]

It can take a new built building up to to 2 or 2 1/2 years to stabilize with humidity/dampness in the material matching the surroundings

Air dry all your goods and wrap them in seran wrap / clingfilm enclosing a packet or three of silica gel. Re-wrap and check each item every 3 months

[ToddW]

The dehumidifer for the inventory room has a 50 pint bucket and I am emptying it every day now.. I think I need to hook up the drain hose..  The main room has a black and decker ac/heater/dehumidifer and it has a hose.. running it on dehumidify..  I can't tell how much I am emptying that one.. today, the inventory room is running at 56% humidity and main room is running at 54%..

 

Edited March 4 by Northmount
fixed title typo

[Northmount]

17 hours ago, ToddW said:

The dehumidifer for the inventory room has a 50 pint bucket and I am emptying it every day now.. I think I need to hook up the drain hose..  The main room has a black and decker ac/heater/dehumidifer and it has a hose.. running it on dehumidify..  I can't tell how much I am emptying that one.. today, the inventory room is running at 56% humidity and main room is running at 54%..

 

Be sure that you don't bring warm air into the enclosure as warm air is able to hold more moisture than cold air.  That's what your dehumidifier works on, cooling the air to knock out the moisture.

If you are bringing fresh air in, make sure it is only cold air.

Edited March 4 by Northmount
fixed title typo

[ToddW]

14 minutes ago, Northmount said:

Don't know what 50ping is, but regardless of that. 

 

That was a typo.. was supposed to be pint

[Northmount]

5 minutes ago, ToddW said:

That was a typo.. was supposed to be pint

I'll fix it for you.  Thanks for the correction.

[ToddW]

I was thinking of running calk and foam gap filler everywhere.. When I built it, I put that smart siding, tyvex, insulation and sheet rock..  The roof joists are the only place I can imagine any air is getting in..  Although my humidity reading tend to run higher the lower I put the sensor.  The dehumidifier is on the ground as well and read higher than all the sensors on the wall.  As I said, its taking out about 50 pints of water day and can't get it below 50%.. as an example, it was at 64% this morning..  I have standalone dehumidifier in the inventory room which is 12x6..  The main work room is 12x22 and am using the AC in dehumidifier mode.. it is running about 56%..  There is a wall and sliding barn door between the two room.  Door opening about 6'. it is also insulated..

[ToddW]

 

My inventory is individually wrapped in plastic to protect it from scratches.. could the humidity be somehow coming from the inventory?

Edited March 4 by ToddW

[ToddW]

this is my inventory room

[ToddW]

well.. emptied the dehumidifer this morning around 7.. by 3 it was full again.. I went to lowes and bought a hose to run the water outside.  while I was there, I picked up a few of those plastic bucket DampRids that were like $6.. stopped in the Dollar Tree and they had them for $1.25.. I loaded up.. Will be interesting to see if those things catch any moister as well..