How to Prevent Mold and Humidity Damage in Archival Storage?
- Interior Storage Solutions
- May 13
- 3 min read
Preserving archival materials is a responsibility that goes far beyond simply filing away documents or tucking artifacts into boxes. Whether you're safeguarding rare photographs, historical manuscripts, textiles, or audiovisual media, one of the most critical threats to your collection is often invisible: humidity.
Mold growth and moisture damage pose a constant risk in archival environments. But there’s good news, Interior Storage Solutions offers custom-designed storage systems that not only maximize your space but also help protect against these hidden threats.
Understanding the Risk: Why Mold and Humidity Are Archival Enemies
Archival materials are particularly sensitive to environmental fluctuations. Paper, film, cloth, adhesives, and even metal fasteners can degrade rapidly when exposed to high humidity levels. Mold spores thrive in environments with relative humidity (RH) above 65%, especially when ventilation is poor. And once mold takes hold, it’s often too late, collections can be permanently stained, weakened, or destroyed.
Even environments that are too dry can cause issues. RH below 30% can lead to brittleness and cracking. That’s why the Smithsonian Institution and other preservation authorities recommend maintaining stable RH between 30% and 50% and temperatures between 35°F and 65°F for archival storage.
Interior Storage Solutions works with institutions to design storage systems that support these ideal environmental conditions. Let us help future-proof your archives.
Environmental Control Is Only Half the Solution
While HVAC systems, dehumidifiers, and air circulation are vital, they don’t work alone. The effectiveness of your environmental control strategies depends heavily on the quality and design of your storage systems. Poorly made shelving, low-grade cabinets, or generic plastic containers can trap moisture or provide inadequate airflow.
That’s where Interior Storage Solutions comes in. We engineer smart, space-efficient systems built for long-term preservation.
Speak to our team about integrating mold-resistant, archival-grade storage into your facility.
Smart Storage for Serious Preservation
At Interior Storage Solutions, we understand that your archival space needs to protect valuable items.
We specialize in high-density mobile shelving, modular steel shelving, museum-grade cabinets, and archival-specific solutions designed to support preservation goals. Here's how our systems contribute to humidity and mold prevention:
Our mobile shelving systems are engineered with precision airflow in mind. By eliminating fixed aisles, they maximize floor space, making room for climate control systems while reducing air stagnation. Optional antimicrobial powder coatings and adjustable ventilation options further minimize mold risks.
For delicate artifacts and textiles, our museum storage solutions feature sealed compartments, corrosion-resistant components, and gasketed doors. These cabinets are ideal for maintaining stable microclimates, especially when combined with humidity control materials like silica gel or indicator cards.
Unlike generic storage units, our steel shelving is durable, powder-coated, and fully customizable. We offer shelving that can be fitted with moisture-resistant archival boxes or integrated desiccant systems, giving institutions flexibility to scale while maintaining preservation standards.
We partner with trusted manufacturers to offer acid-free, lignin-free, and moisture-resistant archival containers. Our design team can help match these materials with the right shelving configuration to ensure optimal air circulation and humidity buffering.
Going Beyond Storage: Our End-to-End Expertise
With over 30 years of experience across libraries, museums, healthcare facilities, and public institutions, Interior Storage Solutions offers complete project support. From site analysis and layout planning to product specification and installation, we help you create storage environments that are:
Preservation-ready
Space-efficient
Budget-conscious
Scalable for future growth
Our team understands the challenges of grant-funded purchases and can help you develop a long-term storage strategy that aligns with accreditation standards from the AAM, SAA, and more.
Need help writing specs or grant proposals? Let Interior Storage Solutions support your next submission with expert guidance and storage planning.
Best Practices to Pair with Your Storage System
To further protect your collection, we recommend combining our systems with proactive care:
Routine inspections for musty odors or visible mold
Pest management to keep infestations at bay
Emergency response plans for leaks or HVAC failure
Humidity monitors in enclosed cabinets or containers
Want a complete storage assessment? Interior Storage Solutions can evaluate your current setup and suggest tailored improvements.
Better Storage Starts with the Right Partner
Preventing mold and humidity damage in archival environments is about intentionally designing a storage ecosystem, and that starts with your shelving, cabinets, and containers.
Interior Storage Solutions is proud to support museums, archives, libraries, and institutions that care deeply about the past and future of their collections. Let us help you build a storage system that protects what matters most.
Get in touch today to request a quote, book a walkthrough, or start planning your next preservation project with Interior Storage Solutions.
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