Efficient climate control for archives
Humidity fluctuations put your archives at risk
When humidity levels swing out of range, your archival collections can suffer. Poor moisture control affects the physical, chemical, and biological stability of sensitive materials. And when the indoor climate isn’t managed properly, the integrity of your stored items may be compromised, potentially jeopardizing compliance with storage regulations and long-term accessibility.
Too much humidity creates ideal conditions for mold, fungi, and insects, leading to permanent staining and weakened paper, leather, and other organic materials. High moisture also accelerates damaging chemical reactions that cause corrosion, brittleness, and discoloration. On the flip side, air that’s overly dry makes materials prone to cracking and tearing, even with minimal handling.
Temperature control alone won’t solve these issues, but proper humidity control will. Munters dehumidification and humidification systems offer an energy-efficient, cost-effective way to maintain stable humidity levels and safeguard collections with historical, cultural, or long-term value.
Without effective climate control, you risk:
- Permanent damage to documents and archival materials
- Higher energy use from unnecessary heating
- High humidity: corrosion, mold growth, chemical breakdown
- Low humidity: cracking in wood or clay, brittle paper
"Sustainability was paramount in the construction of the LIC, both in terms of material use and energy consumption. Our goal was to minimize energy consumption, which led to several things including improved ventilation, where Munters made a big difference."
Thomas Haustraete, Project Manager
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Humidity control is more efficient than heating
While both temperature and humidity may cause damage and deterioration in an archive, it's the level of moisture in the ambient air that presents a critical risk to the goods stored. Keeping an optimal and stable relative humidity level all year-round will help ensure the integrity of your stored documents and assets.
The optimal solution is combined dehumidification and humidification
Keeping low and stable relative humidity levels year-round with a combined dehumidification and humidification system from Munters helps ensure ideal indoor climate conditions in your archives. Using sensors to detect natural fluctuations in the ambient air, this system will automatically adjust and modify, thereby maintaining optimal storage conditions. Usually in archives, relative humidity levels ranging from 45-60% and temperatures from 60-66°F are preferred.
Munters systems provide reliable, energy-efficient, humidification and dehumidification for optimal indoor climate control, customized to meet the specific requirements of the documents, collections, or goods being stored.
Customers using Munters humidity control solutions
Humidity control products for archives
Service and maintenance to optimize your archive's environment
Munters’ equipment is always backed by our world-leading service team. They are directly employed by Munters, with decades of experience in maintaining our climate control systems. With a Munters Service Agreement you can extend your humidity control system's life, increase efficiency, minimize downtime, and ensure your archive will always have a perfect climate.
