Whats up with the rusty stuff???

[oprod]

I opened up my metal cabnet i keep in the basement and discovered sometime over the last few months something happened in there. There is a hyge amount of brown looking dust piled up on top of the cans and the shelves. Where there is exposed metal the rust is very deep. rust built up in the scratches of the cabnet coating. Any ideas? 

[DANNY-L]

To much humidity,you should think about getting a dehumidifier. To much humidity will also effect the wood. If you google household humidity it will give you a list of problems with to much or not enough humidity.

[oprod]

Not humidity related. the cabnet holds all my gun powder. anyways, the basement is open to the above, no door. water table several hundred feet down. humidity here is like 10-15% so not a humidity problem. The rusty stuff is like 1/4 inch thick. it seems to be a chemical reaction but may be something that came out of on of the cannisters mabey under pressure and fogged the compartment? that is what it looks like! There is a plastic container of h335 that looks /feels fat.

[cwlongshot]

 So your calling it rust, but its not???  I have stored and have cans of powder that have been stored for 40 years and no problems. I'm at a loss as to what it could be, what else is stored in proximity?

CW

[JRiddle]

I had a somewhat similar puzzling experience like that a few years ago in my basement too.  Metal would rust very quickly in one particular area that was primarily used for storage of paint/stain/caulking stuff, and some other misc. stuff, and I knew it wasn't a humidity problem.  I finally figured out that it was coming from a half full jug of muriatic acid.  The jug was completely intact and the screw cap was on tight, but aparently the fumes somehow were getting out and causing the reaction.  Look around to see if there is any chemicals or strong cleaners in the area that may be the source of your problem.  Good luck.
JR

[tacklebury]

Sounds more like a slime mold or fungus to me. 

[wncchester]

"..jug of muriatic acid.  The jug was completely intact and the screw cap was on tight, but aparently the fumes somehow were getting out and causing the reaction."

That's what popped into my mind as well.  Bad stuff, and lots of people who have swimming pools have some around for ph control.

[billyed]

I have seen this happen too. The powder will emit acid fumes that combine with humidity in the air to rust anything metal. A lack of air circulation in the basement or in the cabinent could be the cause.

[Swampman]

Pool chlorine tablets and shock treatments cause really bad rust on anything even 10 feet the containers.