My man cave is pretty dry in the winter, around 25% RH. I am a bit worried that taking the cigars out of the tupperdors, for inspection etc, and putting them back cause damage because of the high humidity difference. Thoughts?
(Jackal?) :biggrin:
IMO I think that the short amount of time your cigars are exposed to low RH while out of your tupperdors should have a minimal effect on the condition of your cigars. However, a prolonged amount of time or taking them out to often I think could be an issue.
QuoteCamshaft83 - 1/14/2015 5:34 PM
IMO I think that the short amount of time your cigars are exposed to low RH while out of your tupperdors should have a minimal effect on the condition of your cigars. However, a prolonged amount of time or taking them out to often I think could be an issue.
Cigars are pretty tough critters. Taking them out for a reasonable amount of time won't hurt them a bit and as noted, you don't want to be opening up the containers too often or the humidity won't stay up where it belongs. I pop my tupperdores about once a week to check humidity and to get some air exchange. They boringly stay at 65% all the time.
As far as taking cigars out...when I travel I usually just tuck some in a ziplock and carry that along for a week at a time. Doesn't seem to affect them at all as long as temperature extremes aren't too great.
I run an air humidifier in the area with my humidors cause of the drier air this time of year.
Quotelubrix - 1/15/2015 1:33 PM
I run an air humidifier in the area with my humidors cause of the drier air this time of year.
What kind do you have, and that is your target RH?
It's just a small room humidifier.My towers have electronic humidifier systems and they run a lot this time of year, but using this in the room takes pressure off them and have to fill the dw water reservoirs less frequent.Everything sits at 66-67 rh.
Quotelubrix - 1/15/2015 6:33 AM
I run an air humidifier in the area with my humidors cause of the drier air this time of year.
That's a good idea... I've had some problems keeping the humidity up during the winter since all my cigars are in the basement.
Having tupperadors for at least 3 years I've never had an issue with them. I've taken the cigars out to label and put information for my own reasons and they have been out for as long as 5 hours and then were put back in. As long as your RH media is working for you you won't have to worry and it's a good idea to line the bottom of your tupperware with cedar sheets or if it's large enough as I have very large ones...cedar trays. Opening them once a week is what I do as well....it allows for an exchange of fresh air and one minute is more than enough time for this.
I too get them out of their humidified environment and have them out for an hour at a time, sometimes to label, move, inspect and whatever else. Never saw that it created problems as I think the cigar might loose some humidity but superficially only and not that much in such a short period of time.
I open up all my containers at least once a week (often more than that) to force air exchange (and smell them). Since my coolerdor, wineador, tuperdores and 4 humidors are all full and either made or lined with Spanish cedar, they get back to their normal RH percentages in no time.
I forgot to add that my basement is pretty dry in the Winter, between 18 and 22 % RH, but that does not seem to have too much of an effect oh the RH% of my storage solutions, they all have very tight seals.
Short term (half an hour or less) exposure to dry conditions shouldn't have much of an effect. However, anything longer can be a problem. Big Smoke in Vegas (very dry desert conditions) used to have that problem. They would hand out nicely humidified cigars, and by the end of the first speaker's speech, the wrappers would start cracking. This was solved by humipak providing humi-bags.
Is your humidor in the man cave? If so, you may want to consider a small room humidifier. This will not only make things easier if you have your cigars out for a while, but will help your humidor stay stable as it doesn't have to fight such a big differential between outside and inside humidity.
I live in New Mexico were 20% is hi on the RH scale and I generally take my smoke out at least an hour if not 3 or 4 prior to smoking and they smoke great and I never have a split wrapper problem. I have found that not giving them a little time to acclimate tend's to lead to wrapper split's occasionally. I just pick my smoke for the afternoon and set the cigar on top of the humi in it's cello till I am ready to put a flame to it.
QuoteJackal - 1/15/2015 6:12 PM
Is your humidor in the man cave? If so, you may want to consider a small room humidifier. This will not only make things easier if you have your cigars out for a while, but will help your humidor stay stable as it doesn't have to fight such a big differential between outside and inside humidity.
Yes, the humidors are in my man cave. I have thought about getting a humidifier, but I am also keeping things here that doesn't like a very humid environment; like electronic components. So I have decided against it, I try to run my extraction fan whenever the girl-friend is trying cloths in the room next door. That way I pull in some of the more humid air, without the RH getting too high.
Thanks for your input all :)
I might add that my tuppersdors are staying steadily at 65%, so no problem keeping them stable. But my wooden humidor is having some problems, I have four 69% Boveda packs in it, but it's barely keeping above 60%. Might have to add some more humidification to it...
Quotehebron - 1/28/2015 2:45 AM I might add that my tuppersdors are staying steadily at 65%, so no problem keeping them stable. But my wooden humidor is having some problems, I have four 69% Boveda packs in it, but it's barely keeping above 60%. Might have to add some more humidification to it...
Same here. Pretty dry in the basement where most of my cigars are. Coolerdore, tupperdores and Wineadore are all keeping a very stable RH, no movement at all but the 3 wooden humidors I have down there are all struggling to keep the RH steady. Not much to do but add a few Bovedas or some more DW to your beads.
never had any issues with having mine out in the dry air.Winter here the rh is down in the 20's in the house. I do have a small room humidifier in my smoking room also. But still it is only about 40% with that running. I have had my tupperdors open while marking or counting cigars for hours with no ill effects. My tupperdors will come back to 65-68% within hours of being closed back up.
I suffer from a low RH climate the same as a few others. My town isn't quite desert dry, but it's an area that is considered semi-arid (the winter has been around 25-30 RH outdoors). I struggle to keep my little humidor at the needed RH. I use beads, but I think I may need to add more. And I'm thinking about adding a Boveda or two to it, as well.
No idea if this will help keep it at a ~70 RH, though.
Chris
Quotectalbot - 4/4/2015 10:51 AM I suffer from a low RH climate the same as a few others. My town isn't quite desert dry, but it's an area that is considered semi-arid (the winter has been around 25-30 RH outdoors). I struggle to keep my little humidor at the needed RH. I use beads, but I think I may need to add more. And I'm thinking about adding a Boveda or two to it, as well. No idea if this will help keep it at a ~70 RH, though. Chris
Both with Bovedas and Beads, the good thing is you can't have too many so put more of either in your humidor(s) if you feel it's required, can't go wrong.
Either Beads or Bovedas should work on their own. As far as beads go, Heartfelt beads are the best by far. Not cheap but very reliable and come preset to your desired RH. Bovedas are just as good and work the same (2 way that is). Both solutions could be mixed and both are rechargeable so you can rehydrate them when needed.
It's also good to have humidors well stocked. An empty humidor is much more difficult to maintain at a desired RH so stock up ;-)
Quotectalbot - 4/4/2015 11:51 AMI live in Nova Scotia and my winters might not be as dry but its dry with my wood heat.I to struggle with RH but I keep a close eye on it and if I have to add beads or Boveda paks I do.I get the reverse effect in the summer when the RH goes up.The beads or Boveda are the best once you achieve the desired Rh it staysYou can't have to much of either in your humidor.
I suffer from a low RH climate the same as a few others. My town isn't quite desert dry, but it's an area that is considered semi-arid (the winter has been around 25-30 RH outdoors). I struggle to keep my little humidor at the needed RH. I use beads, but I think I may need to add more. And I'm thinking about adding a Boveda or two to it, as well.
No idea if this will help keep it at a ~70 RH, though.
Chris
QuoteMojo66 - 4/4/2015 9:04 AMIt's also good to have humidors well stocked. An empty humidor is much more difficult to maintain at a desired RH so stock up ;-)
Well, there's that problem right now, as well. I'm stocking back up. :-)
Chris
Quotectalbot - 4/3/2015 10:51 PM
I suffer from a low RH climate the same as a few others. My town isn't quite desert dry, but it's an area that is considered semi-arid (the winter has been around 25-30 RH outdoors). I struggle to keep my little humidor at the needed RH. I use beads, but I think I may need to add more. And I'm thinking about adding a Boveda or two to it, as well.
No idea if this will help keep it at a ~70 RH, though.
Chris
The simple solution to this problem in arid areas is to put a rack in the bottom of humidor. Pour in a 1/4 inch of distilled water then baste the cigars with a turkey baster every day. :)
QuoteKen Kelley - 4/4/2015 11:10 AM Quotectalbot - 4/3/2015 10:51 PM I suffer from a low RH climate the same as a few others. My town isn't quite desert dry, but it's an area that is considered semi-arid (the winter has been around 25-30 RH outdoors). I struggle to keep my little humidor at the needed RH. I use beads, but I think I may need to add more. And I'm thinking about adding a Boveda or two to it, as well. No idea if this will help keep it at a ~70 RH, though. Chris
The simple solution to this problem in arid areas is to put a rack in the bottom of humidor. Pour in a 1/4 inch of distilled water then baste the cigars with a turkey baster every day. :)
:lmao: :lmao:
QuoteKen Kelley - 4/4/2015 12:10 PM
....The simple solution to this problem in arid areas is to put a rack in the bottom of humidor. Pour in a 1/4 inch of distilled water then baste the cigars with a turkey baster every day. :)
You should come up with an automated version of the baster in your shop, could prove handy for many in arid conditions. Might even end up making a business out of it. I can see it from here:
KK Industries presents the first ever Cigar Master Baster :biggrin:
Quotehebron - 1/28/2015 2:45 AM I might add that my tuppersdors are staying steadily at 65%, so no problem keeping them stable. But my wooden humidor is having some problems, I have four 69% Boveda packs in it, but it's barely keeping above 60%. Might have to add some more humidification to it...
I'm having the exact some problem with the same wooden humidor. It's very dry here, too, although the cigars seem to be doing ok, just a little dry, which is how I like them anyway.
Now look at this, while you all are worried about low humidity, I'm worried about high temperature and and humidity resulting in mold and cigar beetles.....who wants to trade location and problems??