Electronic devices depend on complex electrical interactions in their circuitry in order to function. Furthermore, most of these devices are not made to be waterproof, allowing moisture or water vapor to seep in through the cracks and contact the internal workings.
While the effects may not be as dramatic as a sparking short circuit, electronic arrays and moisture DO NOT MIX! In the first place simple corrosion of components such as copper circuitry can occur, and beyond that moisture present in the pathways can allow for electric signals to reroute in ways that were not ever meant to happen. Functionality of the device thus becomes impaired in subtle ways.
Perhaps that time set button on your alarm clock doesn't work quite as well as it used to, or perhaps the LED readout has a funny tick in it that occasionally creates ghost digits. While the problem might have other roots, people who know desiccants know that one of the first things to try when a device starts acting up is to "dry it out" by packing it in desiccant in a sealed container overnight.
IMPAK has documented several instances where an apparently malfunctioning item like a portable video camera, which had no other explanation for its loss of operation, emerged from this treatment and worked again, good as new!
As mentioned elsewhere on the site, the chip manufacturing giant Intel has very strict guidelines regarding keeping its microchips dry and protected in transit and storage. Intel knows how moisture can adversely affect the operation of the chips; however, once out on the market the average consumer is more likely than not unaware that vapor entering the unsecured case of their PC might be contributing to long-term reliability problems.
The same goes for any of the myriad other devices becoming so necessary to modern life, especially the small portables such as pagers and cellular phones that are at once some of the most complex and most vulnerable to environmental effects of any devices. Compared to the cost of replacing these items, desiccants are a convenient and cheap alternative.
Let's face it: everyone has to eat. Eating is not usually a problem for most Americans, but there might come a time where a store of grains and other foodstuffs will prove a priceless commodity to you and your family. Whether a disaster comes in the form of a flood, fire, hurricane, earthquake, or revolution, existing infrastructures are going to collapse at least temporarily.
Most families have preparedness kits in the event of the natural crises most prevalent in their areas, including flashlights and water... and why not food as well? Many do, and many more should. The staples of food most suited to long-term storage are dried ones... grains, legumes, and dehydrated meats, fruits and vegetables. Not to mention seeds for the planting or replanting of crops.
As you can guess, this entire store will be worthless if it gets wet... mold in particular loves damp, dark conditions. You can't really avoid the darkness in your storage place, but desiccants can stave off the damp and make sure your ace in the hole doesn't turn up a deuce when it counts.
Ironically, the very gas that gives us life, oxygen, is another threat to the longevity of stored foods! For more information on our food storage solutions, please browse our preparedness products page.
For hundreds of years sailing vessels have been a principal source of trade in the world, and the 20th Century has been no exception. Massive amounts of cargo move between ports, jostled and thumped in largely wooden crates and spending days or even months on the high seas, possibly facing one or more storms along the way. Does it even need to be pointed out what a damp environment this is?
Anyone shipping their products overseas or even on lakes should be taking a long, hard look at desiccants if they are not being included already. If a portion of your cargo is being lost to ruin caused by damp conditions, desiccants can only save you money!
In much the same way as cargo shipments, recreational sailors would do well to have desiccants on board. Salt water is about as corrosive as you can get, and most skippers today make use of very sensitive instruments including the all important Global Positioning System receivers! The last thing you need is your navigation fritzing out on you at a bad time due to dampness.
In fact, just about anything you store aboard your boat, electronics or not, should be kept as dry as possible. Many pleasure boats stay docked a good deal of time, making it a relatively easy proposition to pack things up with some adsorbent to keep away the salt air.
Whether the latest powered drill or a simple wood and metal hammer, tools are another item that often spends long periods in storage and are often stored in a less than secure space such as a garage or shed. Besides the already covered effects on electrical tools, moisture more simply just rusts metal and rots wood.
To extend the useful life of your tools, get some enclosed storage for them, and get some desiccant to keep them dry!
You're moving the household to another state, or maybe you're just a businessperson taking your laptop with you to Taiwan. Whenever travel is involved you have two possible danger areas, the transit itself and your eventual destination.
Are you moving to or through a damper environment than usual? Desiccants are in high demand by people like wildlife photographers who have to tote their high tech cameras through jungles and forests... they know very well what that humid air might do to their livelihood. If you're actually relocating desiccants can become even more crucial, with the likelihood of irreplaceable heirlooms, documents and photographs being present, some of them already old and fragile.
Why take the chance of moisture damage? Stick in some desiccant and good barrier materials, and buy some peace of mind.
Only a fraction of the many applications for desiccant use are covered on this page. A short list of other items desiccants benefit are:
There's much more! If you have an application you think could be benefited by desiccants, contact us and we'll analyze the best solution for you!