Do I need a safe dehumidifier if I'm in Phoenix arizona?

Now living on near ocean beach in OR. Humidity can be up to 80% in enclosed areas and rust is destructive to steel and and iron. When we installed a humidifier, set it at 45% ( and let it run for a week) no more rust. Even helped in safes. If your humidity is 45% (or less) just a light oil cloth wipe down might be fine.

Phoenix? Nah. Well, if you have a swamp cooler, then yes.

I've lived around there all my life and never needed a dehumid rod.

Conelrad

How much did you pay for the guns you store in a safe? I use the Eva-dry E-500 for my safes. They cost $20. When it shows it needs recharging you plug it in for a night or so, put it back. Seem to last for a hell of a long time, forgot how long ago I bought the first one. So are the guns worth $20 worth of protection?

Golden Rod or Lock Down brand rods and be done. Cheap price to pay for piece of mind even in Phoenix. I have a safe in my shop outside on the Gulf coast and no worries. I don't have to slather my firearms in oil either.

In PHX you're more likely to need a humidifier from a cigar humidor. :wink:

Your specific indoor climate conditions are the more important deciding factors.
Unless you have the safe out in the garage, which will be in outdoor weather conditions.

Eyeballing the averages, Phoenix averages from 107º to 45º in temperature, and from 0 to 24% in Relative Humidity.

However, you indoor conditions are likely to differ from those, likely 67-75ºF and 2-12% RH
Most hardwood "wants" a Moisture Content in the 6-8% range, which 'suggests' an ambient RH in the 20-40% range. Which will commend humidifiers to some residents.
Unless you are running, as suggested above, a "swamp cooler." Which uses cascading water to cool air run through it. RH down stream of swamp coolers are generally higher than in conventional, sealed, expanded refrigerant a/c systems, which are dehumidifying by nature.
Your mileage may vary.

Unless you are often in and out of the safe, the air within the safe is likely to be a bit static, and the seals will limit how rapidly things equalize.

Conelrad said:

Phoenix? Nah. Well, if you have a swamp cooler, then yes.

I've lived around there all my life and never needed a dehumid rod.

Conelrad

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Agreed.... emphasis on the swamp cooler issue.

I lived in Havasu for 10 yrs and store my guns inside the house. I worried more about the wood and the dryness than rust.

I’d recommend buying a hygrometer and monitor it for a while. I have a feeling you want need anything, but it’s cheap insurance to know for sure what your wiring with.

Hygrometers can be bought for under $10, why guess?

Get yourself a hygrometer. Spend a few extra bucks and spring for one that shows minimum and maximum both temperature and humidity. Here is the bit from the NRA that you are looking for:

"The humidity recommendation made by the NRA Firearms Museum states that the humidity levels should lie anywhere between 45% and 50%. They also say that the temperature should ideally be in the 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit range."

Give yourself some wiggle room on the numbers. My safe ranges from 62-72 degrees and 48-54% humidity at last check. No problems with rust. A cheap hygrometer and looking for rust will tell you more about what is going on inside the safe than asking on the internet.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermor-Hygr...1&keywords=bios+weather&qid=1619751085&sr=8-1

Trashyshoots said:

One of my buddies in Florida is dumbfounded that the safe store that I bought my safe from didnt sell me one, while one of my buddy here says just a light layer of oil down the barrel is all you need.

Who can I trust? The internet. What say you?

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I say not needed. But L.A. is dryish, and my gun rusted up there, so who knows

You lived in PHX during a real monsoon season yet?

Humidity is high, and sheet wash during microbursts can cause flooding problems in places that you might never think of.

The rest of the year aridity is more of a problem, especially with wood.

My experience with the monsoons is that the AC is still running 24/7. The RH in my house was still in 25% to low 30% max during monsoon season because of the AC

PHX only gets 6-8 inches of rain in a year and most of that is not during monsoon season.

Adopt the poor man’s solution. It is very inexpensive and it works as needed because it works naturally based upon environment. Buy some Asian rice, not the proceeded stuff like Uncle Ben’s or Carolina. It in an open container in the safe. Provide as much to surface as you can. If it gets too humid in the safe, the rice will begin to absorb it. Check it periodically. If the rice has softened, replace it because it has absorbed humidity. However, I doubt that you will ever have to change it out.