For my job, I travel all over the world and get to see some beautiful cities and scenery.
Whenever possible, I like to purchase a souvenir from my destination.
I typically look for a painting that depicts the region, and I’ve amassed a rather large collection. Most of these paintings only have sentimental value, but a few were rather expensive. The frames of the paintings are equally important to me. I like to display my collection of paintings in antique wooden frames, and I hang them on the walls of my home. I had some problems with mildew forming on the frames and paintings. I live in an area that is typically hot and humid. It’s necessary to rely on the air conditioner for approximately nine months per year. I prefer not to blast the air conditioner while I’m traveling and the house is left empty. The cooling system costs quite a bit in electric bills. I tried operating the air conditioner on the lowest possible setting, hoping to cool the house just enough to protect the integrity of the paintings. I still came home to mildew, mold and even condensation running down the windows. After some research, I figured out that the problem was not the high temperature but the amount of moisture in the air. The air conditioner is designed to handle heat and not humidity. I realized that I needed to install a dedicated dehumidifier. The dehumidifier is incorporated into the air handler of the cooling system but it operates independently. This allows me to keep the dehumidifier running, even when the air conditioner is shut down. It removes excess moisture from the air, making the home feel more comfortable at higher thermostat settings. I save money on energy bills and no longer need to worry about damage due to moisture to my collection of paintings.