Sentry Floor Safe has moisture inside

[MustISO]

We bought a floor safe and it sat in our garage (in original packaging) for about a year. It's been inside for a year now and tonight when I opened it there was a stong musty smell and the papers inside actually feel damp.

I'm looking for ideas on how to dry it out or is it a lost cause? Could moisture be trapped in the insulation around the interior of the safe?

 

[TuxDave]

Put in a bowl or sheet of uncooked rice to absorb moisture in the air? (just a random idea)

 

[DaveSimmons]

those silica gel packets that ship with some items, with warnings on them that they're not delicous candy? ( )

 

[loup garou]

http://www.damprid.dsiwebbuild...om/index.asp?cat=40019

 

[MustISO]

Thanks for the ideas. I'd pobably need an industrial sized silica pack. Do they make them in 1 lb sizes??

I'll give that damp-rid a try.

 

[potato28]

Put it inside, somewheres warm and away from sunlight. If you want a quicker way, those silica gel packs along with it inside will dry it out in about 2-3 weeks. Make sure to keep it out of the sun though, the Sun will split the wood from the moisture.

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Originally posted by: MustISO
Thanks for the ideas. I'd pobably need an industrial sized silica pack. Do they make them in 1 lb sizes??

I'll give that damp-rid a try.

they make big ones in tin cans for guns safes. they have a little window so you can see what color the stuff inside is, when it changes you put it in your oven to dry it out and re-use.

random google example, not endorsed by me

 

[soydios]

You need to buy some dessication pellets in bulk. 10 lbs should be about alternator sized.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: soydios
You need to buy some dessication pellets in bulk. 10 lbs should be about alternator sized.

damnit, beat by a minute... :|

 

[JDMnAR1]

Safe dehumidifier

 

[kranky]

If it's a fireproof safe, then don't go overboard trying to remove all the moisture. Fireproof safes have a gel type substance within the walls which releases moisture in a fire. The moisture keeps the temperature down inside the safe to prevent papers from igniting. These safes are only for paper documents (certainly not anything like videotape or other items that would be ruined by a sealed high-humidity environment).

If you need a low-humidity environment for what you're storing, don't use a fireproof safe.

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: soydios
You need to buy some dessication pellets in bulk. 10 lbs should be about alternator sized.

Nice.

+1 point for you.

 

[shiner]

Man...I read this as "Senate floor has moisture inside" and thought the thread was gonna be about Larry Craig.

 

[Kelemvor]

That's just the way they are. We have the same type of thing and contacted the company. They recommended opening the safe once a month to let it air out. Or use those Silica (or whatever) packs every so often to absorb the moisture.

We even have papers in there that get all musty and have some minor mold in there too.

 

[lokiju]

This reminds me, I need to get my safe out of my garage before this happens to me.