Data Loggers
Today, let’s talk about a small, unassuming, but important tool in the studio. Even though it is out in the open, you may not notice it, and even walk right past it, while looking around the studio. We are talking about our temperature and relative humidity data logger. This little device does exactly what its name suggests. It takes and records the temperature and relative humidity of the studio every five minutes, and then it records (logs) that information (data) until a staff member downloads it from the device onto a computer for analysis.
Fig. 1 HOBO data logger
This is all simple enough, but why is it so important for the studio? Why do we care about regularly monitoring and documenting the studio’s temperature and relative humidity? We care because artwork likes to live in a certain temperature and relative humidity range. The ideal temperature range and relative humidity range is 65°-70°F and 40%-60% humidity, respectively. Temperatures and relative humidity outside of those ranges on both the high and low ends can cause damage to artwork, as well as frequent, extreme changes in temperature and relative humidity. In fact, storage of artwork in incorrect temperatures and relative humidity can cause such damage that these two factors are actually considered two of the ten main agents of deterioration. We just threw a lot of information at you there, so let’s break it down a bit.
Agents of Deterioration
There are 10 ‘agents of deterioration’, these are common factors that cause damage to cultural heritage objects. They are as follows:
- Physical forces
- Incorrect relative humidity (RH
- Incorrect temperature
- Pests
- Light
- Pollutants
- Water
- Fire
- Thieves and Vandals
- Neglect and Disassociation
For more detailed information on these agents check out our blog post Agents of Deterioration
The two most common offenders in this list are temperature and RH. So what can happen to an object when in an unstable indoor environment?
High RH and Temperature
- If there is too much moisture in the air you risk that water depositing on to the surface, think of this like when you drive in the winter and the windows fog up or cause condensation. This amount of moisture can cause mold and encourage dust to adhere to the surface of your objects and attract certain pests.
Low RH and Temperature
- If the air is dry, it can cause brittleness of materials, attract certain pests, and structural warping due to the contraction of wood and certain materials.
Now that you know a little bit more about how incorrect temperatures and relative humidity can affect artworks and cause damage, it is easy to see why we care about it and monitor it in the studio. Which takes us back to the temperature and relative humidity data logger. Below is an example of what a data readout might look like from the particular data logger we use.
Fig 2. A sample graph
The data can be turned into a graph to give us a visual representation of how the temperature and relative humidity changed and helps us quickly and easily see if there were any big swings and extreme changes and when those occurred if they did. With that knowledge, we aim to determine if there was an event in the studio that caused that change.
Our data logger is also set up to sound an alarm if it registers multiple, consecutive readings over the high end of our target temperature range. This alerts us to a potential issue so that we can quickly begin to investigate the cause and hopefully remediate the issue.
As you can see, our datalogger, even though it is small, is an important piece of equipment to us here at the studio. It helps us to make sure that we are maintaining an optimum environment for all of the artwork stored in our studio. It is just one of the ways we work to keep your piece safe and secure while it is in our care.
