Is there anything wrong with keeping your cigars at higher than recommended humidity? I found that keeping my wineodor at 68-70 percent humidity causes my cigars to become dry and the wrapper will sometimes crack. I tend to keep my wineodor at 75-77 and the temp stays around 65 degrees. My cigars burn fine so I haven't changed the way I store them. Lately I've seen people say they keep there humidors at 68 or lower which made me wonder if there are drawbacks to storing your cigars at higher then recommended humidity levels
I would say you need to check that your hygrometer is reading correctly.
Anywhere from 62-70% humidity should be perfect, higher than 70% RH you risk mold issues along with most likely burn problems while smoking.
It sounds to me like your hygrometer needs calibration.
That's where I would start :thumbsup:
The problem with the hi humidity levels can be anything from mold to the cigar swelling and splitting the wrapper during the burn or a bad burn , tight draw or tar build up. If you are at 75% and they are burning good I have a suspicion that you're hygrometer may be off. My other question is, how long have they rested at this 75% RH? A lot of time's a cigar right out of the box with out some rest and stabilization time in a humi will give you burn issues.
X2 on recalibrating the hygrometer.
Quote05Venturer - 3/6/2015 8:19 AM I would say you need to check that your hygrometer is reading correctly. Anywhere from 62-70% humidity should be perfect, higher than 70% RH you risk mold issues along with most likely burn problems while smoking. It sounds to me like your hygrometer needs calibration. That's where I would start :thumbsup:
X2 I feel Kent nailed this perfectly
I would do a salt test or invest in a calibration kit and check it asap.
I use two different hygrometers one cheap standard adjustable one which I have salt tested and a Xikar wireless pro temp hydrometer. There is a 3 degree difference between the two hydrometers (cheaper one reads lower RH than the Xikar) I have no way of calibrating the Xikar (according to them it comes calibrated and does not need calibrating). When my RH gets below 70 I have cracking issues with my Casa Magna cigars.
I use humidity beads in my wineodor and they are manufactured to maintain 72% RH. Is that still too high?
Quotemchammer - 3/6/2015 8:02 AM
I use two different hygrometers one cheap standard adjustable one which I have salt tested and a Xikar wireless pro temp hydrometer. There is a 3 degree difference between the two hydrometers (cheaper one reads lower RH than the Xikar) I have no way of calibrating the Xikar (according to them it comes calibrated and does not need calibrating). When my RH gets below 70 I have cracking issues with my Casa Magna cigars.
Is the problem just with certain cigars "Casa Magna" or everything ?
So far just the Casa Magna cigars have cracking issues when RH gets below 72. Lowest it's been is 68% RH (came back from vacation) I do have a computer fan running 24/7 in my wineador, not sure it that has any effect on cigars. It does make the beads dry out faster.
by to way thank you all for the feedback. I will let the RH drop down to 68-70 and see what happens.
Hygrometer calibration as mentioned, and, I wonder if your humidor has a leak somewhere, possibly where you store your Casa Magna sticks... :confused:
Quotemchammer - 3/6/2015 8:24 AM
by to way thank you all for the feedback. I will let the RH drop down to 68-70 and see what happens.
maybe pull your casa magnas and temporarily put them in a small tupperdor with a boveda and see what happens. Is the fan blowing directly on those cigars that are cracking? Could be just a bad batch of cigars too :confused: .
Quotemchammer - 3/6/2015 8:02 AM
I use two different hygrometers one cheap standard adjustable one which I have salt tested and a Xikar wireless pro temp hydrometer. There is a 3 degree difference between the two hydrometers (cheaper one reads lower RH than the Xikar) I have no way of calibrating the Xikar (according to them it comes calibrated and does not need calibrating). When my RH gets below 70 I have cracking issues with my Casa Magna cigars.
I would still calibrate the Xikar. I know it has no calibrate button, but calibrate it so you know where it sits, then just tape a little piece of paper to it that says "+2" or "-3" This way you get a more accurate idea.
Just my thoughts.
I keep my Casa Maganas at 68% (maintained using Boveda packs) and haven't seen any cracking. Even at 70% I have has mold issues on some cigars (probably due to pockets of higher humidity in dead spaces). Camachos seem to be the worst offenders for mold.
QuoteJoelala - 3/6/2015 10:37 AM
Quotemchammer - 3/6/2015 8:02 AM
I use two different hygrometers one cheap standard adjustable one which I have salt tested and a Xikar wireless pro temp hydrometer. There is a 3 degree difference between the two hydrometers (cheaper one reads lower RH than the Xikar) I have no way of calibrating the Xikar (according to them it comes calibrated and does not need calibrating). When my RH gets below 70 I have cracking issues with my Casa Magna cigars.
I would still calibrate the Xikar. I know it has no calibrate button, but calibrate it so you know where it sits, then just tape a little piece of paper to it that says "+2" or "-3" This way you get a more accurate idea.
Just my thoughts.
This ^^
Lots of good advice has already been given here. I personally prefer my humidor to be at 65 % with a calibrated hygrometer. I rarely experience draw problems and wrappers cracking @ that RH. 70% IMO is too high if you want to pull a cigar right out of the humidor and smoke it with no issues
So, at the risk of making things confusing... cigars that have been exposed to too much humidity can also crack. If you've been keeping them at 75-77%, the excess moisture taken up by the filler can expand when heated as you smoke and crack the wrapper.
I'd do as suggested above and move a fiver of the cigars that are cracking to a "Tupperdor" and let them stabilize to something less than 70% and then try smoking them.
QuoteLonghorn - 3/6/2015 3:33 PM
So, at the risk of making things confusing... cigars that have been exposed to too much humidity can also crack. If you've been keeping them at 75-77%, the excess moisture taken up by the filler can expand when heated as you smoke and crack the wrapper.
I'd do as suggested above and move a fiver of the cigars that are cracking to a "Tupperdor" and let them stabilize to something less than 70% and then try smoking them.
x2 great point Brad
Higher humidity may cause beetle eggs to hatch.
I try to keep it at 60 to 70 and once and awhile just open up cases to get fresh air but noe too long. So, far very little if any issues.
QuoteLonghorn - 3/6/2015 4:33 PM
So, at the risk of making things confusing... cigars that have been exposed to too much humidity can also crack. If you've been keeping them at 75-77%, the excess moisture taken up by the filler can expand when heated as you smoke and crack the wrapper.
I'd do as suggested above and move a fiver of the cigars that are cracking to a "Tupperdor" and let them stabilize to something less than 70% and then try smoking them.
^ This. :thumbsup:
I really can't add anything that hasn't already been said, but I will say that IMO 75% humidity is way too high for storing cigars. I can see mold problems coming for you bud.