Emily,
Two months sounds like a good shakedown period for a newly constructed
building. You also need to run the HVAC system for that long while
monitoring the temp and Rh to make sure that you will have a stable
environment for the collection to return to. Also, be sure to check
your fire supression pipes for signs of oil dripping - that became a
major issue at one intstituion that had a newly constructed
collections and conservation building - as the dry pipe joints had
threading oil that was forced out and dripped on anything underneath -
and I've also seen that same thing in other collections areas. So
monitoring everything in a new building is a good idea before actually
getting collections into potential problems that can be fixed.
The how long question can be highly variable becuase it entirely
depends on the nature of the materials that went into the building. If
low VOC materials were specified and many things such as adhesives and
carpets etc. were tested or reviewed by a conservator, then you might
be in good shape. If the materials were chosen outside of professional
staff review then it make take a good long time for all outgassing to
diminish. I'd first make sure that anything in intimate contact with
objects (shelves for example) or in their immediate environment be
"safe" and the general outgassing of the builing itself can be managed
by good air exchange and circulation.
There are some ways of testing areas for pollutants, and the low cost
method is to use metal coupons sold by providers such as Purafil. You
have to know what you are doing with these things and be precise in
following the instructions - and since these are developed for
sensitive electronics the corrosion standards are not in line with
museum conservation standards. A great book to reference is the book
by my colleague Pamela Hartchfield that wsa published by Archetype
Books I believe some few years ago on the effects of pollution on
musuem collections. Here is the info on it:
____________________________________________________________
Pollutants in the Museum Environment
Practical Strategies for Design, Exhibition, Storage
Pamela B. Hatchfield
The environment in which artifacts are housed continually acts on
them: it can alter them chemically, accelerate the ageing process or
provide the benign climate that minimizes the potential for damage; it
can make the difference between destruction and preservation.
Preventive conservation has therefore become a primary focus in the
care of collections today, and in this volume, Pamela Hatchfield
(Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) provides a rich resource of information
on the subject. From the contents: Sources of Pollutants, Damage to
Materials, Testing for Pollutants, Mitigation of Pollutants,
Materials, Protection in Enclosures. Also appendixes on common
measurements, plastics, product stability, materials and sources. An
Archetype Publication.
203 pages, 8 1/2 x 11", many illustrations, paperback $ 58.50
___________________________________________________________________
Cheers!
Dave
David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, California
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