You’ve spent a great deal of money perfecting your home. The decor is tasteful and aptly reflects your style. Unfortunately, an invisible entity can destroy your valuables. Humidity, the water vapor in the air, could be damaging your belongings. Find out which ones humidity damages the most.

Photo: Jeff Herr Photography

Damage to Wood Furniture

The rustic look is one of the strongest stylistic choices a decorator can make. The downside for people living in humid regions of the country isn’t considered enough. Wood is a porous substance, and it also absorbs water. When the temperature increases, more water vapor is in the air. That water transfers itself into the wood of your furniture, a process that reduces the lifespan of your furniture and occasionally ruins your best pieces.

To protect your valuable furniture, you need to control the humidity level in your home. Devices such as ventilators, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers give you more power over the amount of water in the air. You can use these units to perfect the humidity level in your home. In addition, you can minimize potential humidity damage to your wood furniture and extend the lifespan of your furnishings.

Photo: Ali Budd Interiors

Any Paper Keepsakes Can be Ruined

Everyone owns a memorabilia box. This container holds the most precious keepsakes from your life and is one of the most important items in your home.

While your other possessions make up the overall aesthetic of your living space, your mementos matter. Humidity is particularly ruthless with these items. Anything that’s comprised of paper is susceptible to humidity damage. All of your handwritten notes, cards, letters, and other personalized papers will degrade if exposed to moisture. Keep them in waterproof keepsake boxes to safeguard them from the elements.

Photo: Jackson Design & Remodeling

Complete Death to Musical Instruments

If you have any musical instruments, take a look at their composition. You may not consider it, but your acoustic guitar and piano probably have wood components. Your drum kit may as well. Wood instruments are obviously susceptible to humidity, too.

Other, non-wooden instruments don’t like moisture either. You wouldn’t pour a glass of liquid on your keyboard, would you? Then don’t store your expensive music equipment in the attic, since heat rises and cold air sinks. If you have the space, consider storing your equipment in an unused room of your home. If you have room in the garage only, make sure you control the climate in the space appropriately. You may also consider a room humidifier to help keep guitars and other musical instruments in the right humidity.

Photo: Kyle Hunt & Partners, Incorporated

It Can Crack Your Artwork

Where you have a single piece of art your child created or several museum-quality pieces, the same issue exists. Paint grows brittle in dry air. This change makes paint likely to crack. Even worse, brittle paint on an oil canvas can compound the problem. The oils peel, and the fiber contained in the canvas expands with humidity, causing your canvas to warp. You’ll wind up with a misshapen canvas and cracked paint art. Maintaining a consistent temperature is an imperative in any room that features art that you value.

Photo: Genry Raines Interior Design

You spend time perfecting the decor in your home. An invisible assassin, humidity, wants to undo all of your hard work. Follow the suggestions above to safeguard your belongings.