The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy is worse than the storm? it afflicts the victims for months (years?!). As you read this, flood waters are still swirling and water damage in homes and offices is rampant.
Not just a scrapbook of a vacation... family history certificates and photos!
?Flood relief community volunteer Matt Steward reported directly to me from a flood location, ??When we got there to help people, all we were asked to do is look for people?s memorabilia floating in the water.?
?After people and pets are safe, the overwhelming most often asked question is about finding and saving people?s stuff!? was the statement directly to me by confirmed by a posse of 1st Responders at a hurricane conference in New Orleans that I was speaking at. The biggest reason people mourn after a disaster is for the loss of memories, things that can?t be paid for by insurance: family heirlooms, personal keepsakes and beloved memorabilia.
The stains seen on this engraving are from mold that grew on the paper after it got went during Hurricane Katrina. Although the mold is dry and dead the stains from infestation are very disfiguring and will get even darker with time. The darker the mold stains that develop are the harder they are to remove.
Four different kinds of mold are visible in colors of black, red, yellow and brown. Blotchy acid stains probably transferred from poor framing and mounting materials. Numerous distortions and ripples are present as well. All of these conditions can be improved and removed; in fact we expect it to look different when we are done. We expect the cost to be $400.00 for just the conservation treatments. Framing will be extra.
When you are confronted with water damage to your treasured family documents, family bible, collectibles, cherished old books, artwork, and other memorabilia and valuables consider calling for professional help from art conservators. ?I got a call recently from an office manager that had four inches of water in the office? piles of valuable office d?cor, framed items and company memorabilia had gotten wet. Timing was critical for getting the things dried out,? said Scott M. Haskins, author of How To Save your Stuff From A Disaster? and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Expert, ?in order to not let mold take over.?
Here are 3 very important Tips to follow:
1. Handle wet paper items with a wet strength paper towel to help you (make a sling) like ?Bounty.?
2. Use LOTS of paper towels to put between wet items.
3. Get the items away from the wetness!
4. Drying out wet items means getting the air moving with fans and?
5. Do NOT turn up the heat! It will accelerate the mold growth.
?What to do now?? ? FOLLOW THESE TIPS!
We work with insurance companies all the time on helping with mold problems on artwork and other collectibles. After receiving a large mold cleaning job here at the lab, we put our Abatement Specialist to work cleaning and organizing this collection for storage while the owner was re-building his house.?There were boxes and boxes of family photos, family books, collector items, art objects and paintings?.all exposed to mold!?After cleaning all items, we now set to organizing them for storage. We find that an easy way to know what you have and where to locate things is to photograph each collectible, assign it a number, and log it into a file, either on computer or in a binder. We do both. You can make notes there?.about the condition of an object, painting, or book, dates you worked on something or even reminders to yourself. We then do a print-out of that file and put it into a binder as a copy for the client. After carefully packing each item, putting precious items into a ?zip-lock? baggy for extra protection or organizing ?by-year? photos.
Here are a some super important tips to help you get organized as you sort things out:
1. You can find giant zip-lock bags for large items @ Home Depot type stores)?
2. TAPE an Inventory List Sheet,
3. which has been put into a page protector,
4. and tape it to the outside of the crate.
5. Clear plastic crate containers are handy to quickly & easily identify your items.
6. If they are all the same kind they?ll stack well too.
7. The number of each item can appear on the Inventory List sheet.
8. Add a second sheet to the inside of your box, just in case the outside sheet gets damaged in moving?.
9. Happy Preserving & Storage!
Here?s a question we got on our blog that may be of interest to you! ?A question about protecting my stuff from water damage? from Lauren in MS
?I?m still in school so I don?t have that much stuff. Mostly, my stuff is at my parent?s house. All my certificates and photos are in plastic tubs. I learned that in Katrina. Worried about original paintings by me. Any suggestions??
Lauren,?Good job getting your stuff into tubs!! And good job having copies in another location! Very smart strategy.?As for your original art, here are a couple of tips:
1. Get everything photographed highest resolution possible, put on a CD and copies in a couple of different places.
2. Change out the glass of the framing with plexiglas. This can be done cheaply at an Aaron Bro.s type store.
3. A cardboard (or Foamboard) backing applied to the back of paintings on canvas can also be put on at the framers. Very useful protection.
4. Have everything varnish with an easy to remove varnish in case cleaning is required. Acrylics need to be varnished differently than oils.
There are other things that are more complicated. But this will get you started. Do you need to hear about the next level of precautions that can be taken?
Questions about conservation/restoration? Call us toll free at 888-704-7757
Questions about preparing your stuff for an earthquake or hurricane? Click on ?Save Your Stuff Book? at the top of the page.
Questions about art and antique appraisals? Call Richard at (805) 895-5121
Questions about working with an insurance claim? Call us toll free at 888-704-7757
What can you do at home or at the office to protect and save your artwork and collectibles from damage in an earthquake or hurricane? Click Here
These tips and MUCH more can be discovered in Scott M. Haskins? book, How To Save Your Stuff From A Disaster. Click Here
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Scott M. Haskins has been a professional art conservator since 1975. Author of "How To Save Your Stuff From A Disaster", How to protect and save your photos, documents, books, family history, memorabilia, collectibles in earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes... and grandchildren! He provides free content to the media, distributors of newsletters and blogs at www.preservationcoach.com. He may be contacted at 805 564 34382012 kids choice awards kansas ohio state wrestlemania results womens final four josh hutcherson google april fools office space
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