Humidity Issues

[smokin'n'brewin]

I have been fighting some humidity issues for the past couple months. I have been using the little jar of gel and up until recently that worked fine. Lately though I have not been able to get the rh abover 40-50%. I tried a couple different things and nothing worked. I just learned about the heartfelt beads and just ordered some of them today so hopefully that will solve my problems. My biggest conern though is are the sticks I have are too far gone. Do you all think they are salvagable? If they are, does anything special need to be done to rehydrate them? I have a bunch of really good ones that I would hate to lose.

Thanks.

 

[MoeCizlak]

Good job on the beads, you'll never have to worry about anything again. As for the sticks, it's a toss up. You can try bringing them back slowly, i.e. don't take them from 45% to 70% right away. Most likely though you should toss them and start over. We have a Newbie Sampler Trade here that will get you started in the right direction. Also, make sure you have a digital hygrometer that has been properly calibrated.

 

[smokin'n'brewin]

Good job on the beads, you'll never have to worry about anything again. As for the sticks, it's a toss up. You can try bringing them back slowly, i.e. don't take them from 45% to 70% right away. Most likely though you should toss them and start over. We have a Newbie Sampler Trade here that will get you started in the right direction. Also, make sure you have a digital hygrometer that has been properly calibrated.

I have a digital hygro that has been calibrated but that was a year or so ago. Is it possible that everything really is ok and somehow it is waaaay off all of a sudden? I know that is a stretch but I really don't want to think of losing everything I have.

Also, how would you slowly raise them back up? Only think I can think of is use the existing humi as is and another container with the beads and put everything in with the beads for a few hours every day and slowly increase the time in there over a couple weeks? Am I close?

 

[Mr Peat]

Cigars that have dried out never come back to what they once was. If you have to run heat during the winter months, its normal for the humidity to drop. Thus having a better humidification is the best bet to help combat the drop in RH.

I'd put a small cup or something with some distilled water in it and place in the humidor. Like a shot glass for example. Long as you know it won't get dumped. Once the beads arrive, just use the distilled water on them and place in the humidor. It will stabilize on its own and just let the cigars rest for a few weeks to a month before firing them up. You will still be able to smoke them but they just won't taste the same.

I've never had to test my digital hygrometer. It was correct right out of the box. But I also have the Avallo Accumonitor so it was easy to see that they both read the same RH %.