Environmental effects
Temperature and humidity can have a very negative affect on photographs.
High humidity is very harmful while high temperatures will help to accelerate deterioration. Constantly changing conditions (high heat and humidity followed by cold dry weather, followed by high heat, etc.) will damage photographic emulsions and may cause cracking and separation of the emulsion layer from the paper support layer.
DO NOT STORE PHOTOS IN UNINSULATED ATTICS OR BASEMENTS
Never store photos in an uninsulated attic or basement. Summer temperatures in an attic could reach 125 degrees F. while in the winter it may go as low as 0 degrees F. The constant high temperatures and humidity in the summer and low temperatures and humidity in winter will cause photographs to become brittle. The photographic image may even separate from the paper base.
Uninsulated moist basements may cause photos to stick to each other. Moist basements may also attract certain insects and rodents which are attracted to the gelatin and paper in the photographs.
The best place to store important photographs or documents is in a safety deposit box at a bank. They generally have optimal environmental conditions.
Failing this, choose the location in you home that comes closest to these conditions: 68 degrees F with a relative humidity of about 50%. Store photos in a dark area.
Wood and Paper Products
Wood and paper can contain additives such as bleaching agents or hydrogen peroxide which are harmful if allowed to come in contact with a photograph.
Other Harmful Materials
The following contain harmful compounds and should not be allowed to come in contact with your photos, slides, and negatives.
rubber bands - rubber cement - pressure sensitive tape - all types of ink - fingerprints
Fumes and Vapors
Fumes and vapors from the following are harmful to photos:
oil based paint, varnish, shellac, carbon monoxide (usually from garages)
Safe Paper Products
Use paper products manufactured for photographic purposes which are made from paper pulp and are unbuffered and acid free. Use this type of paper product to store photos, or as interleaving paper in photo albums. This also applies to paper products used during photo framing.
Safe Plastic Products
You can safely use the following products for storing photographs:
Polyester, Mylar, Polypropylene, Polyethelene, Tyvek.
Quick check list for better photo storing
1. First, take your photos out of 'magnetic' albums. The materials they are made of, ordinary plastic, glue and cardboard, will damage photos over time.
2. Eliminate any glue, tape, staples, rubber bands and paper clips that might stain, scratch or dent photographs.
3. When framing, use acid-free mats to keep photos from touching the glass and acid-free backboards to avoid deterioration of the image.
4. Place photographs in plastic sleeves void of PVC, which can be purchased at photo supply stores.
5. Use plastic sandwich bags for a good, inexpensive alternative to plastic sleeves.
6. Store large quantities of photos by layering them between sheets of 100 percent acid-free paper in metal or acid-free cardboard boxes.
Quick Tips:
1. Wood and wood products, like cardboard and paper, harm photographs and should only be used if labeled 'acid-free.'
2. A good rule of thumb is storing photos where you are also comfortable; not too hot, cold, wet or dry.
3. Keep photos out of attics, garages and basements where they'll be subject to extreme temperature fluctuations and excessive humidity.
Archiving Photos to CD
One of the best ways to protect your photo collection is to create digital copies and save to CD. Image Master offers a photo archiving service to do just that. For more info click here
11120 McFarland Court RR #1 Campbellville Ontario, Canada L0P 1B0
