Humidity Vinyl Records

For those not in the know hygrometers are cheap and efficient tools that measure humidity.

Humidity vinyl records. A collection of vinyl records must be stored in a controlled environment to prevent degradation. To get a deeper clean apply a liquid cleaning. Vinyl record vacuums provide a deeper clean than brushing and cleaning products alone. Vinyl discs do begin to degrade in quality through repeated playings as the read mechanism is a need that operates through physical friction with the disc.

For everyday cleaning of your records use a carbon fiber brush to remove surface dust. Temperatures between 46 and 50 degrees fahrenheit are optimal for vinyl records. How to clean vinyl records. Air handling units serving records storage and processing areas must provide sufficient air exchanges to maintain requirements for temperature relative humidity and pollutant control.

Other factors such as humidity sunlight exposure and improper storage can drastically impact the resilience of a record. Humidity also can harm your vinyl so try to keep the humidity level between 45 percent and 50 percent. Your 45 records should be stored in a cool dry controlled environment. If you re putting your vinyl records in self storage a climate controlled unit will help ensure the ability to spin them for years to come.

Vintage vinyl does best when the relative humidity stays between 30 40. Unlike your indoor greenery vinyl records should be stored in a relatively dry environment about 35 40 relative humidity or rh. Find somewhere other than the attic or the basement for your collection to live. The edge is the weakest part of the groove so when a needle vibrates back and forth it slams against the warm edge wearing it away pushing and deflecting vinyl into small mounds above the record surface.

A typical vinyl record can start warping due to heat at a temperature of 140 f 60 c and can melt at temperatures exceeding 212 f 100 c. In addition vacuums are able to apply a thin layer of cleaning fluid which dissolves oils and further protects the record. The vinyl that s pushed up and out leaves a pocket behind and the edge eventually becomes lined with pits and piles of vinyl. The vacuum sucks the debris out of the grooves with as little friction as possible.

The number of air exchanges are determined by the planned size of the room volume of records volatile organic compounds coming off the records occupancy etc. This is where vinyl record storage guidelines part ways from indoor plant care.