Temperature and humidity monitoring in storage facilities

December 30, 2009 by Jessica Raflo · Comment
Filed under: General, humidity monitoring, temperature monitoring 

storage_unit3In college, I was enrolled in a program that rotated academic quarters with work quarters.  I took advantage of my work quarters to do a little traveling around the country and as a result I ended up moving all my stuff in and out of storage units quite a bit.  Of course as a college student, I didn’t really have many valuable items that needed to be protected from temperature fluctuations.  However, a lot of people do use storage facilities during transitional periods to store valuable items like furniture, electronics, and musical instruments that are highly sensitive to temperature and humidity fluctuations.   Even papers and books can be damaged in a high humidity environment.  This problem came to my attention today when a customer called seeking a solution for monitoring the temperature and humidity in some of the units at the mini-storage he owned. Read more

~Jessica
Follow Me on Twitter

Happy Holidays from Ravica!

December 24, 2009 by Jessica Raflo · Comment
Filed under: General 

Happy Holidays everyone!  As I was trying to come up with some way to tie-in Christmas Eve with environmental monitoring, I discovered that it was a completely futile activity.  I mean, it’s Christmas Eve for goodness sakes.   I’m sure you all hachristmas bowsve more important things to think about, like picking out those last minute gifts, partaking of a little eggnog, and gathering with co-workers, friends, and family.

So,  instead of touting the virtues of our SensorProbes, I would just like to thank all of our wonderful customers for your business over the past year.   We look forward to providing you with quality products and service in the upcoming year!  And remember, the entire Ravica line of products come with unlimited lifetime support.  That is our holiday (and everyday) gift to you!

So Happy Holidays from all of us here at Ravica!  We wish you a very joyous and prosperous New Year!

~Jessica
Follow Me on Twitter

Top 3 advantages of web-based temperature monitoring systems

web-based environmental monitoring systemsIt regularly occurs to me that web-based environmental monitoring systems, whether they be for the home, office, data center, storage closet, you name it, can oftentimes be overkill. Some people just need a thermometer. Others just need a barometer. Sometimes, simple problems call for simple solutions.

However, a web-based system that can monitor for changes in temperature, humidity, airflow, as well as the presence of water, smoke and motion, can be extremely valuable. To demonstrate just how valuable, I thought I would put together a list of the top three reason why a web-based system is more convenient and cost effect for many home and business applications.

Read more

Are you optimizing your environmental monitoring system?

December 16, 2009 by Jessica Raflo · Comment
Filed under: Intelligent Sensors, environmental monitoring 

Here on the Ravica Blog, we talk a lot about temperature and humidity monitoring in data centers, but did you know Warning signthat you can use the same Sensor Probes to create a centralized monitoring system that can provide information on almost any environmental condition?  The following is a run-down of some of the other Ravica intelligent sensors that are available.  All the sensors are plug & play, SNMP-enabled and easily integrated into the environmental monitoring system of your dreams. Read more

~Jessica
Follow Me on Twitter

Environmental Monitoring During the Winter Months

Today, we had our first major snow storm of the season.  I’m a transplant to the northeast and winter inSnow Maine is still a jarring experience for me.  My hometown of Vancouver, WA basically shuts down at the first sight of snow and doesn’t reopen until all the white stuff has melted away, which in a normal year is sometime before 4 pm on the same day.  Around here, you just prepare, plow through and get on with business.

Winter requires some special preparation for the inside of your facility as well.  With snow and ice  comes the threat of water pipes bursting and power outages.  Make sure that your facility is protected by having a back-up generator in place.  You should also be sure that the main water pipes and any pipes that are running along uninsulated walls have been winterized. Read more

~Jessica
Follow Me on Twitter

What you can do about Christmas tree fire hazards

nist tree fireThe holiday season is finally upon us. As usual, with the cold weather comes turkey dinner and Black Friday sales - but that’s not all! If your family is anything like mine, the first thing you do after properly digesting your stuffing and waking from your Tryptophan coma is put up that glorious Christmas tree. There is really no better indication of the impending holiday season than a well lit and beautifully decorated tree.

I am a fan of the good ol’ fashion fake tree. Nothing says Happy Holiday’s like the smell of, well… plastic. But as I understand it, there are some 33 million American homes that go the natural route with their tree selection. However, improperly hydrated Christmas trees can pose a very real safety concern. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, “Christmas trees account for 200 fires annually, resulting in 6 deaths, 25 injuries and more than $6 million in property damage.”

Read more

Best Practices in Humidity Monitoring

December 3, 2009 by Mike Allen · Comment
Filed under: environmental monitoring, humidity monitoring 

With everyone worried about smoke monitoring or temperature monitoring, I thought it high time we post something on humidity monitoring. Today I am excited, as we had an interesting call on humidity sensors for long term apple storage. And I thought cigar humidor humidity was our strangest sale.

Come to find out, apple storage is best done in cold, humid environments. This “Best storage conditions for apples” blog seem pretty informative as well.

Read more