The temperature and humidity of the archives should be controlled within an appropriate range to protect the safety and long-term preservation of the archives. In general, here are some common ranges of advice:
Temperature: 14-24°C
Relative humidity: 45%-60%.
These ranges are designed to provide a stable environmentto protect the archives from changes in temperature and humidity。Specific temperature and humidity requirements may vary depending on the type of archive, local climatic conditions, and the special requirements of the archives. It is advisable to refer to the relevant preservation guidelines or consult with a professional archivist to determine the most suitable temperature and humidity range for your archives.
Such as:If the temperature and humidity in the archives are outside the recommended range, the following effects may be on the archives:
Physical damage: High temperatures and humidity can cause archival paper to deform, embrittle, mold, or rot. This can lead to blurred handwriting, sticky pages, or cracked paper.
Chemical reactions: High humidity may promote chemical reactions, such as the acidification of paper. This can cause the paper to change color, fade the handwriting, or become brittle.
Biological growth: High temperatures and humidity provide favorable conditions for the growth of mold, bacteria, and insect pests. This can lead to bio-contamination of the archives, damaging the paper and documents.
Metal corrosion: High humidity may cause rust or corrosion of archival items made of metal (e.g., staples, folders).
Corruption of electronic archives: High temperatures and humidity can also cause damage to electronic archives (e.g., optical discs, tapes), resulting in data loss or difficulty reading.
Therefore, in order to protect the integrity and long-term preservation of archives, it is recommended to control the temperature and humidity of the archives within an appropriate range. If you find that the temperature and humidity are outside the recommended range, you should take steps to adjust the environmental conditions as soon as possible, such as using equipment such as air conditioners, dehumidifiers or humidifiers to maintain suitable temperature and humidity levels. In addition, regular monitoring and recording of the temperature and humidity of the archives is also an important step in the preservation of the archives.
Here are some common archival room temperature and humidity monitoring devices:
Thermohygrometer: This is a basic measuring device that is used to directly read the values of temperature and humidity. They usually have a digital display that provides real-time temperature and humidity data.
Temperature and humidity smart sensing terminals: These sensors transmit temperature and humidity data to a receiving device, such as a smartphone or tablet, via wireless technology such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. They can provide real-time data that can be monitored and analyzed via corresponding applications.
Environmental Zone Controllers: These systems consist of multiple temperature and humidity sensors connected to a server or monitoring platform via a network. They can monitor the temperature and humidity in multiple locations in real time and provide an alarm function to notify the administrator in time when the temperature and humidity are out of range.
When choosing the right temperature and humidity monitoring equipment, you should consider the size, needs and budget of the archives. Some advanced devices may offer more features and data analysis options, but for smaller archives, a simple thermohygrometer may be sufficient.