Should I be worried?

[MAS_Puros]

I am a bit worried with one of my desktop humidors,

The temp is all over the place at times.
The seal is good .... it holds my RH between 66-69% (I have 65% and 70% beads in the humi), my concern is the way the temp bounces around.

Example after work when I got home the temp was 76 degrees .... by night time it was 73, and this morning it was just below 71. Is this normal? I thought it might be because of the abundance of sticks but not sure. I have the humi in a room that the sun doesn't hit all day.

Any suggestions on how to keep this down?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[grateful1]

I am a bit worried with one of my desktop humidors,

The temp is all over the place at times.
The seal is good .... it holds my RH between 66-69% (I have 65% and 70% beads in the humi), my concern is the way the temp bounces around.

Example after work when I got home the temp was 76 degrees .... by night time it was 73, and this morning it was just below 71. Is this normal? I thought it might be because of the abundance of sticks but not sure. I have the humi in a room that the sun doesn't hit all day.

Any suggestions on how to keep this down?

Thanks in advance.

Mike

Ice blocks.

 

[MAS_Puros]

Ice blocks.

LOL ... I wish it were that easy :blush:

 

[badhangover]

We live in the same geographical region.

No, I cannot think of any reasonable way (running the a/c all day long does not strike me as reasonable) to lower desktop humidor temperatures. You're keeping it in a cool area of your home. That's about all you can do. I've never had a problem with mine.

 

[Rebel Herfer]

A 5 degree swing is not a big deal as long as your humidity remains fairly consistent. Even slightly larger swings are of little consequence if they occur over a the course of a day or two, your humi is an artificial climate anyway and can absorb changes if maintained correctly. It sounds like you are doing everything correctly; avoid direct vents, direct light, exterior walls, bare floors, etc.

 

[mysterea]

I'd stick em in the basement if you're concerned, that should give you more consistent temps...

 

[BlindedByScience]

Anything over 70F puts you at risk of a beetle hatch. Do a search on "cigar beetle" and you'll see what can happen.

Basement sounds like a good idea to me - B.B.S.

Edit - Here's a link to a good thread on the subject.

 

[MAS_Puros]

Unfortunately, us folks on the west coast don't have basements...

Maybe I should put all my sticks in a coolidor and dig a big hole in my backyard and bury my treasure. :laugh:

Man, we have 2 seasons on the west, HOT and Warm.

 

[jacks]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Allofus123]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Of course not.... they're not your cigars. :whistling:

If you keep a small inventory of cigars then a good occasional inspection will head off any possible beetle problem. If you have a lot of cigars or a lot of money invested in them then taking the advice of not worrying about it is not advised. Some people think that because it has never happened to them they should advise others to follow their lead. Bad advice.

You need to decide the amount of risk you are willing to subject your cigars to. This doesn't mean if your cigars are stored +70 degrees that you will get beetles it just means its now possible to get them. Some will dodge that bullit and others will not be so lucky.

 

[badhangover]

I wouldn't worry about it.

Of course not.... they're not your cigars. :whistling:

If you keep a small inventory of cigars then a good occasional inspection will head off any possible beetle problem. If you have a lot of cigars or a lot of money invested in them then taking the advice of not worrying about it is not advised. Some people think that because it has never happened to them they should advise others to follow their lead. Bad advice.

You need to decide the amount of risk you are willing to subject your cigars to. This doesn't mean if your cigars are stored +70 degrees that you will get beetles it just means its now possible to get them. Some will dodge that bullit and others will not be so lucky.

While I agree with you, what is one to do about maintaining favorable desktop humidor temperatures? I keep the main extent of my inventory in a cooled storage environment. My desktops are kept out in the open on, well, a shaded desktop area. I live within the same general area as the original poster and I have long ago concluded that the desktops are "on their own" when it comes to temperature control. I refuse to run the a/c throughout the day for them. As he stated, basements are generally unheard of in our area. The best one can do is put them in shade and hope for the best. I use mine for immediate (relatively soon) smoking only. Every so often, I "go shopping" in my larger inventory and re-stock my desktop with cigars I hope to smoke in the near future. It is my hope that the constant refreshing of "new" stock helps lessen my exposure to beetles in our warm climate. At any rate, as there is not much else one can do to depress desktop temperatures, I don't stress over it. Besides, I'm inside my desktops at least once every other day. They constantly receive an inspection when I remove cigars from them.

 

[Dave]

I decided it was neccessary to use a winecooler to control my temperature. If you can find a spot in your house that has a more stable cooler environment, go for it, but for me, I like the ease of mind the winecooler brings. Like Kenny said, it's all about the risk you are willing to take, or more like what extra investments seem favorable to you?

 

[BlindedByScience]

Temps have always had me concerned, as we don't have air conditioning here in the Pacific Northwest. We don't really need it, as it's only "hot" for a few weeks during the summer, and it usually always cools off at night. Even still, it can hit 90+ during the late summer. I used to move all my coolers under the house where it stays very cool, and worried about my desktops as the temps in the house approached 80+ during the day. After cooler #4 started getting full, I made the investment into a cooled cabinet. My smokes now live at a very steady 69F / 65% and I don't worry about them, anymore.

I don't use desktops, anymore. I don't worry, either. Wine coolers are another excellent option for guys that worry about their treasure. It's up to the individual but the lack of concern about the storage conditions of my smokes was very well worth it to me.

Regards - B.B.S.

 

[MAS_Puros]

Thanks for all the valuable info guys ... I am gonna have to look into making a future investment.

 

[rectifythis]

I've said it before with temps and some people think I'm crazy, but if temps get into the 80's + for several hours or more, you are almost guaranteed an outbreak of beetles.

I was chatting with one of my herf buddies who has a desktop here in Arizona, and he thought temp wasn't too big of a concern. His house is swamp cooled, which here in AZ means it stays in the mid 80's generally. He told me he opened it up to add water and his whole humi was moving. He lost EVERY ONE OF HIS CIGARS. I have had the same experiences. Any shipments I get in the mid to upper 80's that sit on a truck for a few hours or more, there have been high incidents of beetles a week later. I now run a wine cooler and do a 2 week quaranteen before moving cigars to normal stock. Even with the wine cooler, I can still think of at least 2 cigars that I have found a beetle hole in being at 70 degrees. For you guys who have gotten by with temps at 80 and no breakouts, consider yourselves EXTREMELY fortunate, and know that you are taking a risk.

 

[Mephiston]

To avoid beetles totally just freeze your sticks for about 48 hours. Than the beetle problem is over no matter how the temp is.

As for the temp jumping up and down just a bit its not a big deal. Do your best thats whats important its never going to stay exactly 70. In a house with so many variables and changing weather its impossible unless you have a controlled humidor.

 

[rectifythis]

To avoid beetles totally just freeze your sticks for about 48 hours. Than the beetle problem is over no matter how the temp is.

As for the temp jumping up and down just a bit its not a big deal. Do your best thats whats important its never going to stay exactly 70. In a house with so many variables and changing weather its impossible unless you have a controlled humidor.

DO NOT freeze your sticks unless you are having a breakout. Here is my solution: Wineodor.

 

[NorcalMark]

I live in California. Sacramento to be exact. It gets hot in the summer and cool in the winter.

I keep my humidor on the mantle. I keep my house at 78 degrees in the summer and 66 in the winter. I have never
had an issue with my humidor. I do use the boveda pack instead of the beads or a plastic humidifer with oasis foam.