WhatsApp usWhen water and moisture disturb an oil painting, the first reaction for many of our clients and insurance partners is to assume the worst. However, with swift intervention many issues can be avoided or halted before they become severe. There are simple steps that can be taken to both reduce the impact and in turn reduce the restoration costs.
Above: our art handler Jade assessing a collection of mould damaged items in our studio
Response vs. Outcome
Early decision making matters when art is exposed to water and high humidity. Whether you are working with an insurer or trying to save personal belongings, a swift approach will always give your pieces the best chance of survival – even when you’re looking at a very small area of mould growth.
Our disaster recovery service can assist with art, furniture and specialist items following any major escape of water. For individual pieces with mould growth, our art handlers can attend to safely transport the artwork to our studio as soon as possible.
Above: an antique watercolour with mould damage, before and after treatment by our paper conservator
Below are three scenarios that our team of experts come across on a regular basis, demonstrating the differences in outcome for yourself, an insurer and the artwork.
Early response
The first 48 hours after water exposure
The escape of water has just occurred and the situation is traumatic. Possessions are impacted by contaminated water and high humidity, including furniture pieces and a diverse collection of fine art. A plan is put in place to salvage all items, where possible. Removing them from the site of the escape of water and high humidity levels.
The artwork and specialist items are temporarily stored in a clean, dry space and left unwrapped as not to trap moisture. The pieces are laid separately to avoid cross contamination.
Above: details of prints salvaged from flood waters with evidence of mould settling into the materials
The first point of call for those handling the situation is not only damage management assistance but a team of art specialists. We head to the site of the peril to recover all specialist items and bring them to our restoration studio where they will all be dried and cleaned with sensitive solutions.
Whilst the situation is ongoing, the contents are kept within our climate controlled storage. Because they have been cleaned and appropriately dried, their losses are minimal and in some cases, no further restoration work is required. Those that do need intervention only require a light amount of treatment because any mould or moisture issues were halted early on.
Above: an engraving with water exposure and early mould growth, before and after treatment in our studio
Intermediate response
One to two weeks after water exposure
The escape of water has been sitting for a week and the items are left in-situ whilst initial plans are put in place for damage management response. They are removed from the property after drying units have been put in place and work to the humid property has begun. For the next two weeks they are stacked in an adjacent room, covered in bubble wrap.
Above: our art handler assessing mould damaged artworks
After two weeks, our team of art specialists is informed and we head to the site of the peril. We recover all specialist items and bring them to our restoration studio but there are delays in allowing our team to clean the items. They are kept in quarantine within our studio whilst the claim continues. Permission to initially clean the items is given after another two weeks.
Above: a water damaged painting with a mixture of surface contamination and mould growth forming
By this stage, the paintings have started to develop mould growth and are in a weakened state. They are areas of blanched (cloudy) varnish, lifting paint and losses to the gilt frames. The mould is thick in some areas and penetrates the canvas support. Our conservators conduct a sensitive surface clean, but do not yet have permission to perform the full restoration.
Whilst the situation is ongoing, the contents are kept within our climate controlled storage. Restoration work is confirmed a few months later. There is an intermediate amount of damage to the paintings. For example, the flaking paint is slightly more severe and therefore a much time-consuming process to restore – adding to the cost. However, each piece has a good result.
Above: a watercolour with thick mould growth, before and after restoration by our paper conservator
Delayed response
Two to six months after water exposure
There has been a long delay and no action has been taken to remove items. This leads to the fine art and specialist contents to sit in flood waters for several months. By the time they can be removed by our specialists, they already have severe mould growth and areas of deterioration.
Above: an oil painting on canvas with severe mould growth on the front, back and frame
They are taken to our studio and put in quarantine whilst they are appropriately dried. The mould is removed and the items are surface cleaned, as we cannot allow them to sit in our studio without this intervention when they are in such bad condition.
There are further delays to confirming the full restoration treatment, but at this time the artworks are safely stored in our studio – albeit in a fragile state. When restoration is able to proceed, the treatment is intensive and a higher cost, as there is so much damage to safely repair.
Above: a severely mould damaged artwork with decaying frame
The result for the artwork is good in some cases, but many are now beyond restoration due to the extended exposure in the early stages.
Preventing mould damaged paintings
Artwork can be swiftly and effectively saved from loss when the delays in treatment are minimised. When the situation is delayed or ongoing, it is always worth speaking to our team in the first instance to remove specialist items and bring them to safety whilst talks continue. If paintings are cleaned, appropriately dried and safely stored, the chance of a good outcome will be much higher.
Here are several action points to keep in mind when you are faced with a water damaged painting:
- Call our team in the first 24 hours to allow us to form a plan for the artwork and specialist items in the affected property
- If possible and safe, remove the artworks from the affected area and place them in a dry and clean environment, away from the damage and humidity
- Allow for swift recovery, specialist drying and surface cleaning followed by storage in our climate controlled facilities
- Once restoration work has been recommended, push forward decisions to avoid any preventable deterioration
Above: a mould damaged portrait, before and after treatment in our studio
These are points to AVOID when dealing with water damaged artworks:
- Do not stack the artworks closely together or pile them unevenly in any way, as this can lead to tears, cross contamination and further damage
- Do not let untrained individuals clean the artworks, even by wiping the surface, as this may cause accidental damage
- If artworks are removed, do not keep them in similarly humid environments, especially without constant checks, as this will allow mould growth to flourish
- Do not delay any early intervention, as the longer the delay may incur avoidable costs and losses
If you require advice and swift collection, please get in touch with our experts to discuss the options. We can work together to form an effective solution to even the most complex situations.
How can we help?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. As part of our service we offer a nationwide collection and delivery service as well as information on worldwide shipping to our studio. E-mail us via [email protected] or call 0207 112 7576 for more information.
