Water Damage to Kits

I would possibly try low temp heating in a microwave in multiple steps, this should draw out the moisture from the cardboard and hopefully not affect the glued ends of the box. I do not now the ignition temperature for cardboard, if you try this process I would stay in the vicinity of the microwave, brass and metals must removed from the boxes before placing in the microwave, if this works  sanitize the microwave interior before heating food.

CN HOGGER,

Are the kits plastic or wood? I'd fight with my last breath to keep them,but then I don't have hardly enough money to buy anything in O Scale,so that's just my view point,for what it's worth. I built shelving 3/4 of the way around my basement 4 levels high and am using the 3rd level 37" high for some of my layout,so that's how I survive water damage. I know what you're fighting with the water. Every time the lights go out you wonder how long the electric will be out.

As Always,

Al Hummel

Alan Hummel posted:

 

 I know what you're fighting with the water. Every time the lights go out you wonder how long the electric will be out.

As Always,

Al Hummel

That's when you get an automatic standby generator. 

Yeah, it costs some serious money, (think 5-6 Premiere steam locomotives) but what price is peace of mind? 

I've had a 10KW unit installed for 7 years now and it has more than paid for itself in keeping the lights on, the furnace, refrigerators and sump pumps running.   Especially when we had a 4 day outage 6 years ago.

A 10KW unit runs about 90% of my house.

We had six separate power outrages last weekend during the heavy storms ranging from 10 minutes to 2 hours in duration.  The generator kept me from suffering serious losses in the basement as both sump pumps (Zoeller 267's, 128 gallons per minute each) were running non-stop for well over 10 hours.

Rusty

John Ochab posted:

brass and metals must removed from the boxes before placing in the microwave,

 

Not a good idea to try and microwave metal!

Simon

if you air dry the boxes and contents quickly after getting wet, mold should not have a chance o set in. unless there already were mold spores in the cardboard.

lay them out in a dry area, raised off the surface with thin strips of something non-absorbent, like plastic

any wood pieces would have to be evenly dried to avoid warping. meaning turning them over.

avoid direct sunlight as that is a sure-fire way to induce warping.