Personal Property: Disaster Response Procedures Do's and Don'ts
Once an emergency has occurred, there are several steps you can take to guard against further damage:
• The works of art should be removed from the fire, water or mold-damaged environment as soon as possible. Even if the scene appears secure there may still be particulates and other debris in the air that can settle upon and further damage the art.
• After a water loss, never lean damaged works of art upright . Lay them flat on a level surface to prevent water from running down the piece and pooling at the bottom, which can cause severe localized damage. It is easier to restore a piece that has moderate damage dispersed evenly across the surface than to repair radical damage concentrated in one area.
• Do not wipe the surface of a wet painting. When wet, the paint layer is fragile and can be easily separated from the canvas.
• If you can, send wet pieces to a conservator immediately. With many items, particularly paper, a conservator has the most success while they are still wet or damp.
• If not, begin drying the items to prevent mold growth. Do not attempt to dry art in the sun; this may discolor works of art on paper. Place items in a cool room with indirect fans and portable dehumidifiers. It is important to reduce the humidity in the room slowly, rather than have the work undergo another severe change in environmental conditions.
• Wet photos, books, postcards, stamps or documents that have stuck together should not be separated. Either freeze them or keep them wet and send them overnight in a cooler packed with gel-packs to prevent thawing or drying.
• A painting or frame that has suffered severe water or fire damage may flake and chip. Lay the item flat, image-side up, to prevent further loss, and save the chips and shards, placing them in a labeled envelope and attaching the envelope to the frame.
• If a piece under glass appears to be stuck to the glass, do not attempt to separate it , as this will likely cause additional damage. Use masking tape to mark the glass with an X so that if the glass breaks during shipping, the tape can hold the broken shards of glass in place and prevent further damage to the piece.
Most importantly, never assume an object is a loss.
An oil painting that has suffered water damage may appear opaque and whitish, giving the impression the colors have been washed away. Yet the painting is only showing the effects of oxidation of the varnish layer: the clear coat of varnish, which protects the oils underneath, has turned white because of exposure to water, masking the original painting. With careful cleaning, the damaged varnish layer can be removed and the painting restored to its original state, possibly without damage to the paint layer.
