
Reading Tamper-Evident Tape After Six Months
What lifted edges, colour shifts, and adhesive residue tell you during a quarterly seal inspection.
Numbered tamper-evident tape behaves predictably when applied to clean paper stock. Problems arise at corners, over laminate seams, and on textured fireproof box interiors.
Lifted corners
A corner lifting 1–2 mm often indicates humidity cycling rather than intrusion. Photograph the lift angle and note ambient readings. Replace tape entirely rather than pressing down—compression erases the fracture pattern we compare later.
Colour shift
UV exposure yellows some tape brands within four months near south-facing drawers. Log the batch number so replacements match serial sequences. Mismatched numbers confuse heirs more than missing entries.
Adhesive ghosting
When tape removal leaves a shadow on envelope paper, paste a small swatch sample into the log’s pocket. Future verifiers can distinguish ghosting from underlying pencil marks.
When to call us
If serial numbers no longer align with your log’s reference sheet, schedule a Seal Verification Session before opening anything. Broken continuity is easier to explain with a witness present.