Historic Montauk Point lighthouse once again home to fresnel lens – A fully monitored environmental control system optimizes airflow, keeps salt and moisture out
As one of the oldest lighthouses in the United States, Montauk Point Lighthouse has been weathering the harsh, seaside conditions at the tip of Long Island, New York, since it was completed in 1796. Despite constant maintenance of the Lighthouse tower over the years, by 2019, increasing condensation was causing significant issues. Corrosive salt moisture was becoming trapped in the Lighthouse and collecting in the lantern room, where it then seeped downward, creating risks to the tower structure.
As restoration of the the underlying masonry issues and leaks neared completion, the possibility arose to allow the 3-1/2 order antique Fresnel lens that served the lighthouse between 1903 and 1987 to be reinstalled in the lantern room as part of a unique pilot project by the Coast Guard. Unfortunately, the off-the-shelf dehumidifier and monitoring system couldn’t deliver the reliable performance needed to adequately protect the 110.5-foot-tall Lighthouse and allow the Fresnel lens to be reinstalled.A ventilation system that had been very effectively operating at a nearby telecommunications site for several years inspired the Lighthouse maintenance team to contact the solution provider — Schrofftech, a division of RF Industries.
