Updated July 24, 2022.
Gun safes are an indispensable part of our safety and sense of security. But just purchasing a gun safe and “letting it be” is not the best way to go about maintaining this state.
Excessive humidity can over time, cause damage to our guns. Inadequate air flows inside the safes lead to excessive moisture. This in turn leads to rust. Keeping a gun safe dry and moisture-free is crucial.
Contents
A few techniques to keep your gun safe dry and moisture-free
Gun Safe Dehumidifiers
One of the best methods of keeping guns safe dry is to use dehumidifiers. Two types of dehumidifiers exist. One is ‘electric’, the other is ‘desiccant’.
Electric dehumidifiers are connected with electricity through the wire and desiccant dehumidifier runs by batteries and other methods.
Electric dehumidifier requires connecting with a power outlet nearby gun safe and a hole at the backside of it to pass the wire through. There’s some gun safe available on the market with a pre-drilled hole at the back. In that case, you don’t need to drill a hole.
LOCKDOWN’s GoldenRod is one of the immensely popular electric gun safe dehumidifiers available on the market you can simply use to increase the temperature inside the safe.
There’s also another mini dehumidifier existing but before purchasing everybody should bear in mind the capacity of dehumidifier and area of the gun safe.
For a big gun safe, a mini dehumidifier will not be effective. A dehumidifier should have the capacity to cover the whole area of the gun safe.
Desiccant dehumidifier does not require electricity. It’s very easy to use as it does not require a hole at the backside of the gun safe and can be recharged. The idea behind a desiccant model is that it strives to maintain dryness. Whereas other models seek to attract and absorb moisture.
Silica Gel Desiccant Packs
Silica Gel Desiccant Packs is regarded as one of the cheapest methods to absorb moisture within the gun safe. Besides for gun safe usage, it is used for medicine, jewelry boxes, and other valuable items.
Each pack of silica contains a bunch of silica beads which can absorb moisture/water vapor at a certain level after that it requires to recharge. The easiest way to recharge them is to bake in the oven at 250 degrees for two to three hours.
Silica gel should be kept in a way so that it does not get touched with the gun.
Bulb
Another cheap method is to use a bulb inside the gun safe. Like an electric dehumidifier, a bulb needs a connection to a power outlet.
You might require drilling a hole at the backside of the gun safe to pass a wire through. However, some gun safe comes with the facility of a pre-drilled hole at the back.
The area inside the gun safe will determine the voltage of the bulb should be.
Dry Rice
Although a dehumidifier built specifically for the purpose is the best option, you can try with dry rice. Dry rice has the ability to reduce moisture.
Put one or two cups of dry rice inside the gun safe and replace it every four months. If dry rice doesn’t work properly you might choose other options.
Baking Soda
Baking soda contains Sodium Bicarbonate which helps absorb moisture inside the gun safe. Put one cup of baking soda inside the safe and replace it when it loses the ability to absorb moisture.
Damp Rid and Moth Ball
You can also use Damp Rid and Moth Ball. Damp rid is very useful to absorb moisture as they contain calcium chloride. Moth Ball contains toxic so use it carefully so that it doesn’t get touched with hand and gun as well.
Final Thoughts
Using the techniques may not be necessary IF you place the gun safe in a dry area. But when we look at the price/risk ratio, then the price to pay is little and the avoidance of risk is huge. We think properly valuing the above mentioned techniques is a good move.
Whatever else you do today, make sure to read our well-formed thoughts on hygrometers. And if you have a little more time today, we recommend at least scanning our gun and gun safe maintenance page.