About 3 out the last 7 cigars I have smoked, have had some wrapper and burn issues. For one, the cigars have been tunneling. I get through the first ash, then after that falls, it burns ok for a few puffs then the wrapper stops burning and it starts to tunnel.
Also I have gotten a bulge in the middle of the cigar and the wrapper starts to split. I know this does happen from time to time, but could this be an issue of too much humidity? I am having trouble keeping the humidity down, but its not out of hand. I have seen it up to 73% and down to 71%, but pretty much averaging around 72%.
Its a 3 layered humidor, but whats strange is the humidity is higher on the bottom. I have seen the top around 68 to 70%.
So anyway, could the issues above be caused by too much humidity?
Surely sounds like too high RH. Have you salt tested your hygro(s), it is quite important to know if you are getting proper readings from your device(s).
Get good beads or Boveda packs (at your desired RH level), they'll make sure the RH does not go too high.
You also have to factor in temperature and make sure it stays below or around 70 F.
I have had the same problems. With one humi in particular. Humidity & temp have been horrific all summer here in the southeast. Just trying to do the best I can!
I have salt tested my hygrometer, and it was dead on. But I still never trust it. Have a new certified hygrometer coming in the mail. I do have beads from CI. Sometimes I think the outside humidity is too high for the beads to take it down further. And my temp is pretty much around 70 all the time. I know 72% is high, but is it high enough to cause those problems? I don't know. Maybe it was just some bad luck.
My humble $0.02,,,,,, how often do you open the humidor, if daily that could be the problem,,, if you are taking daily smokes out the humidity wouldn't balance. The second thought is the location, I read it was a three tier, pretty piece and set out for show, might be better to place it in a less traveled area or closet to balance the room fluctuations... I know I had a few the tunneled as I was using the big coolidor to smoke from rather than my little hard case,,,I stopped and open it once a week or two and the coolidor is great now, I take from it my weekly smokes and haven't had a problem so far
It may depend on the speed in which you are smoking too. I tend to smoke rather quickly and at times notice that the cigar gets very hot and swells and then explodes. I have tried to practice patients when smoking.
Guess you are getting some good points as humidity issues are one of the most problematic things that happen with our cigars. Trying to maintain a 65% RH is a pretty good target point providing that you know your hygro is accurate and that you are giving your cigars adequate time in your humidor. Some tend to think that a cigar can be humidified from head to foot in a matter of days or weeks and that just isn't true. If you purchase a box or 5 pak of cigars and it took a week to get to you then you have to understand that your cigars went through a real change in temps...warehouse to truck to warehouse and then to another delivery truck and then to your hot mailbox then to your own humidor. I've always advocated that one give your cigars time to balance and get some rest in your own humidor otherwise you run into the very things you've mentioned. One good thing about buying from a B&M is that you pretty much know that the cigar you buy has been in a stable environment where you can clip it and light it up and enjoy.
Sounds too humid. I aim for a 60-65% humidity level, and open my humidor almost daily. I also keep them in a room with a ceiling fan running all through the Texas summer. Calibrate your hygrometer, and try using some 65% Boveda packs. Just my two pennies worth! :biggrin:
The issues you are encountering make it sound like your humidity is too high. Boveda packs or silica beads will help to even out your humidity. Bovedas are nice in a three tier, since it's easy to put one on each level.
I always like these posts. Not that I have humidity problems anymore (thanks to these posts), but it gives me new insight on other things i could do to maintain the best average and stability possible. After trying the kitty litter and beads following a greensponge and solution episode I splurged and converted to the biggest Cigar Oasis that would fit in my humidor and have not had any problems since. Its been 4 months and I've only had to fill it once thats how stable things are now... 68% on the dot all the time. I would not have made it to that if it weren't for these posts and all the insights from this great community, thanks guys! ;-)
IMHO, your humidity needs to be taken down to around 65%. When I did this (years ago), it pretty much eliminated any burn problems I encountered.
I have to agree with all the "drop humidity" comments. My coolidors are both between 68% and 70% with silica beads and internal fans. I don't smoke out of them though, having noticed a harsher flavor and burn issues. I have a smoking humidor that uses 65% Boveda packs waivers between 64% and 66%. I move my smokes here at least a couple of weeks before smoking.
I also will often throw a handful of sticks into a herfador for a day or two before smoking them (drybox, no humidifier).
I read a post from the site that said about baking my beads in the oven for an hour or so to dry them out. Do you guys recommend this. Like I said before, I do have beads, but I cant get the humidity down any further
When I have trouble it is usually due to my house being a humidifier in the summer, best solution I have found is to run my dehumidifier every so often to reduce the humidity where I store everything. Especially when the humidity ramps out outside.
Yea. I thought about running a dehumidifier in the house. We have window units and with this summer not being so hot the ac isn't always on. But I'm trying to find a more discrete way of taking the humidity down. I don't want my lovely wife knowing how much my cigar stash is worth. If I break out the heavy equipment she will start to ask questions I believe.......
QuoteChadboskie - 9/2/2014 8:33 PM
Yea. I thought about running a dehumidifier in the house. We have window units and with this summer not being so hot the ac isn't always on. But I'm trying to find a more discrete way of taking the humidity down. I don't want my lovely wife knowing how much my cigar stash is worth. If I break out the heavy equipment she will start to ask questions I believe.......
You might want to send wescat a PM. He lives in Louisiana and has a pretty slick setup to pull humidity out of his humidor.