AIC 53rd Annual Meeting

Heating ventilation and air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are an integral part of our collection facilities. We rely on them to acclimatize our storage spaces, keep our visitors comfortable and happy, condition our displays, and keep the moisture under control to prevent mold in our buildings. When these systems function properly all is bliss, however, even the slightest malfunction of these systems can have a major effect on a collection space. These effects can range from high moisture levels, the inability to achieve set points, to comfort complaints from visitors.

These problems can lead to thousands of dollars in abatement or remediation and potentially cause damage to collection materials.  Many HAVC issues are more common than most would believe, impacting collecting institutions as well as commercial facilities across the country every day. Compounding this problem is the fact that many institutions are striving to reduce their carbon footprint and be more sustainable. Unfortunately, inefficiencies can negate the benefits of any implemented sustainable strategy by forcing a system to use more energy to perform a task that it is struggling to achieve.  While these issues can keep staff members up at night, there are ways to avoid HVAC malfunctions and practical solutions to resolve many of them.

Collections staff may be the first ones to notice that something is amiss within storage and display spaces. Data monitoring programs and staff presence in the collections spaces often help them identify issues or concerns before the facilities staff can see them. This information can help the facility’s team resolve the problem.

This presentation will cover many of the common HVAC issues that collecting institutions encounter from leaking condensation lines to high dew points. It will describe the causes of these issues including, but not limited to, congested drain lines, cooling coil inefficiency, poor airflow and dew point problems in a space. The presentation will also elaborate on the risks these issues pose to the facility and collections, and some ways to avoid or correct them. Attendees will learn how other institutions work to solve these problems, how to collaborate with facilities and their administrative team to solve them, and what some of the solutions are that they can bring back to their organizations.