DD and weather

Our central air unit decided to quit working over the winter so for at least a couple months we are going to just have fans on and the windows open. Im wondering what humidity and other stuff may do to the vinyl in dolls if anything. I assume it wont matter at all but as expensive as they are and vinyl being so finicky I figure it cant hurt to ask.

I used to live in New Jersey where the humidity was very high in July and August. Not as bad as South China, Japan, or Mexico in July though. Where I was in Mexico you could practically see the air from the humidity.

 

Humidity would be associated with both rust and mold. From what I have read if moisture gets into the dolls it can cause mold, and the mold can be impossible to clean out.

 

You can get dehumidifiers for display cases, but I don't know if an absence of moisture can harm vinyl.

High heat can make the vinyl more pliable and prone to stains, but even in the 90 degree weather we would get back home in Mexico, there were really no additional stains. I tend to keep my girls in display in lighter clothes, though.

 

Ambient heat still wont have the same effects as a direct heat lamp or anything like that, though, so I wouldn't worry too much.

 

EDIT: I just realized you were talking about humidity, d'oh! I still wouldn't worry too much, just be careful and store them in lighter clothes. Humidity won't do anything too weird.

Heat and humidity (moisture) are two of the three things molds love. The third is a food source, which vinyl provides. Having a functioning A/C unit helps to keep the heat and humidity down. I don't know what the exact threshold levels are for mold growth but you would be increasing two of the three things molds need to survive. A working A/C unit also filters the air. Having your windows open will expose your DDs to a lot more airborne contaminants. If you are concerned, you might consider storing your DDs in their boxes or a sealed display case with packets of silica gel desiccant till the A/C is repaired.

http://www.amazon.com/Uline-Silica-Gel-Dessicants-Pack/dp/B00FUA5C8K/ref=pd_sim_hg_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=0V5DMQ7ZEZ1YC1YH5YK4

This is sort of on topic... I've been wondering about DDs and weather, too, but not hot/humid weather. I'm interested in how DDs work in extremely cold temperatures.

 

I've seen a lot of DD photos in the snow etc. but I wonder if the inner frames become more fragile when it's really cold? I mean, plastics often crack if they're frozen and then receive some sort of a shock. I sometimes spend well over an hour outside, shooting my dolls in a cold winter weather (-15°C or colder). I wouldn't want to turn my DDs wrist (or something) normally and break it because it froze and I tried to force it. =__= So, does anyone know if they become more fragile in the cold?

True, exposure to cold temperatures makes many materials brittle. I have exposed my girls to colder temperatures (30-40 degrees F) for short periods of time (30 minutes-ish) for photo shoots, which is a bit higher than the temperature you mention. When my girls are out in the cold I use extra care when rotating joints, etc. While I don't think you need to worry about parts shattering at the slightest touch, I'd advise caution while posing.

Thank you. I've already been out with my DD in the temperatures you mentioned and that's not something I'm worried about (our temperatures are at that point or below for most of the year). It takes a long time for plastic to get really frozen at about freezing or just below.

 

I'd be interested in experiences in extreme or near-extreme temperatures, because our winters are quite harsh and I like to photograph in every weather. Like, how fast will it take effect on the inner frame and will it really become a lot more brittle. My resin crew has handled -20°C quite well, but I'm really worried about the DD inner frame because it just seems fragile to me, even when it's warm.

Ah, let me speak of the joys of living in southern Wisconsin:

 

Winters are extreme cold + low(er) humidity. Summers are hot + high humidity.

 

High humidity: We generally don't run out air conditioner in the summer. We use fans, keep the windows open, and learn to love sweat. Our humidity likes to go above 90%, especially in late summer. I've never done anything special with my DDs -- they have to tough it out just like we do!

 

Over a period of SEVERAL years, you will start to see slight hints of rust around screws and other metal bits. My oldest DDs do not have any signs of rust, but my Pullips do have hints of rust. Most of my Pullips are 5+ years old, and some are nearly 10 years old. I've never encountered any mold, on any items (vinyl, clothes, wigs, etc.) even though we do have mold issues in the bathroom adjacent to the doll room. I don't think you need to take any special precautions.

 

Low humidity: I've never noticed any effect from low humidity. We don't get that dry (we're not a desert), but we get dry enough that most people run humidifiers in the winter.

 

As for hot / cold, the only thing I've really noticed is the pliability of the vinyl changes. We keep the dolls in "the cold room," so nicknamed because we keep it unheated in the winter. Our average temperature last February was 10F (-12C), and the DDs survived the entire month in the cold room without any negative effects. I've never noticed any problems with the frame from the long-term cold, but the vinyl definitely gets stiff and seems like it would tear if you stretched it too much.