Protecting Your Fine Art from Hurricanes

Whether you are a seasoned collector or just starting out, protecting your fine arts and family treasures from hurricane damage should be a key factor in determining how you store and display items in your home. Securing these possessions in advance may help minimize future damage. Following are loss prevention tips from Rustin Levenson,* director of the Florida Conservation Associates.

Before the Hurricane

• Make a list of all works in your collection. Include notes about any existing damage, as well as the condition of the frames and bases.
  
  
• Be sure that all wall hanging devices are secure. Remember that wet plaster lacks structural integrity, so artwork hung on plaster walls could fall. Make sure that art hung on outside walls of your home are spaced from the wall. Spacers can be purchased from a local hardware store or created by taping or screwing pieces of wood to the back of the frame. If possible, drape or wrap non-sticky art with plastic to prevent water damage. Works framed in glass may be taped, but plexiglass should not be taped.
  
  
• If works are taken off the wall, place them in an interior room. Elevate the items at least 3 inches off the floor with blocks of wood. If the surface of the work is not tacky, wrap it in plastic sheeting. Separate stacked works with cardboard larger than the size of the frame.
  
  
• Outdoor sculptures should be brought inside or secured outside. Sculpture left outdoors can be wrapped in burlap or blankets tied with rope to protect them from flying sand or objects.
  
  

After the Hurricane

• Early treatment is the best way to help reduce damage. Contact a professional conservator for assistance as soon as possible. For referrals to Chubb’s independent network of conservators, appraisers, and other fine art specialists, contact your agent or broker.
  
  
• If works are wet, gently blot off excess moisture with towels or blotting paper. Carefully remove wet backings, mats and frames.
  
  
• Move wet artwork to an air conditioned area, as soon as possible. Meanwhile, to reduce mold and mildew, keep the works in a lighted area where the air is kept moving with fans.
  
  
• Remove any protective wrapping on outdoor objects and rinse with clean water.
  
  
• Dust items left indoors. A fine layer of salt will be deposited on works left indoors. Dust these items with a soft brush and wipe metal objects with a soft, lint-free cloth.
  
  

For More Information

• Do you need a professional conservator? Chubb can provide referrals for conservators, appraisers, art storage facilities and other art professionals in your area. Ask your agent or broker for more information.
  
  
• For additional tips on protecting your collection, visit www.chubbcollectors.com and choose “Conservation.”
  
  

* Rustin Levenson, director of the Florida Conservation Associates, was trained in conservation at Harvard University. She has worked at the Fogg Art Museum, National Gallery of Canada and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In 1992 she rescued over 5,000 works that were damaged by hurricane Andrew, and she is the co-author with Andrea Kirsh of "Seeing through Paintings," Yale University Press, 2000.

This information is advisory in nature. No liability is assumed by reason of the information in this document.