Hurricane Rita tore through Southeast Texas last fall,threatening homes, roads, life as residents knew it, and the StarkMuseum of Art's collection of American Western art and artifactsworth more than $200 million.

The collection consisted of paintings by Georgia O'Keeffe andThomas Moran; sculptures by Frederic Remington and Allan Houser;ceramics and porcelain; and Native American baskets, clothing,rugs, and pottery. Rita caused a breach in the museum'ssteel-encased structure, causing water intrusion, and knocked outpower to the area, eliminating the ability of museum personnel tocontrol ambient conditions within the museum's two stories and42,000 square feet.

Walter Riedel, Stark Foundation president and CEO, contactedMunters Moisture Control Service (MCS), a water damage restorationand temporary humidity control company. Transportation obstaclesaside, MCS technicians began setting up equipment at the museum at10 a.m. the day after Riedel called.

The museum's curator requested that the museum's temperatureremain between 70 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit with relative humiditybetween 42 and 48 percent. To maintain these conditions, MCS usedfive desiccant dehumidifiers, which can create low relativehumidity and dew point temperatures at any temperature.

The company also used air scrubbers to purify the air inside thebuilding and direct expansion inline air conditioning for cooling.MCS technicians monitored the facility to verify that conditionswere being met and to confirm that the artwork was being protectedfrom dangerous humidity.

MCS was on site for 10 days. The project was completed whenpower was restored and the breach to the structure wasrepaired.

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MCS Preserves Priceless Art — PAGE