Expert: Bill Finck Jr. - 10/14/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hi Bill

I have a humidor that I haven't used for a while and recently started using it again.  I made a mistake and didn't season it, all i did was wipe down the interior with distilled water let it dry, wet the humidifier with distilled water (no PROPYLENE GLYCOL 50/50) and put in cigars.  I am having humidity problems the readings I get on the digital hygrometer stay around 75-80% depending on the number of cigars I have stored.  I am concerned that I am going to ruin the cigars I have accumulated in the humidor.  What should I do at this point to insure that I don't ruin the cigars?   

Peter

ANSWER: Peter,

Unless your temperature is around 60 degrees Farenheight, 75-80% relative humidity is too high. A couple of questions:

1. How long after you wiped it down with water and did you get the high reading? Typically after you wipe one down you will get high readings until the water is absorbed into the wood and the humidity evens out - this could take 24-48 hours.

2. How close is the hygrometer to the humidifier? If it is directky below, you can get a false high reading as the water evaporates from the humidifier.

3. Since it has been a while since you used it, the hygrometer itself may be, and in this case probably is off. You can check it using the salt method:

Adjusting your hygrometer
Some hygrometers are adjustable, and you can use the “salt test” to adjust yours or to set the baseline on your non-adjustable type. Here’s how it works: Place about 1 teaspoon of salt in a small shallow open container, such as the cap to a jar. Add a few drops of water to the salt. You do not want to dissolve the salt, only get it damp. Place the container with the salt solution in a Tupperware container and put your hygrometer in with it. Put the lid on and allow it to stabilize for about 6 hours. Without opening the container, check your reading. It should read 75%. If not, adjust the hygrometer or note the deviation.

Hope some of this helps. Let me know if you have other questions.
Bill


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Bill,

Here are some of the answers:

Temperature is 72% in the humidor. So your right the RH is definitely too high which is my major concern.  

1. I wiped it down about 3-4 weeks ago and still getting the high readings.  

2. Actually the hygrometer sits right next to the humidifire, but I have both the humidifier and hygrometer sitting on the bottom of the humidor. The humidifire and hygrometer kept falling from the lid so I placed it on the bottom under the tray. Should I relocate the hygrometer and Humidifier?    

3. You are 100% correct on the hygrometer, it is off. I recently performed the salt test and found out that it is around 10% off, so my readings are 65-70% but accounting for the deviation brings me to 70-80% RH.  Can't calibrate this model so I have a new hygrometer on order should be in this week.  This is where my concerns started.

Based on this info do you think I should remove the cigars and season the humidor properly?

Peter

Answer
Peter,

I'm willing to bet your humidor is working just fine as is. There's not much you can do to "season" it that you haven't already done, and anything you do will probably increase the humidity short term. Your readings are likely high because 1. the hygrometer is incorrect and 2. the humidifier and hygrometer are too close to each other.

You've had cigars in it long enough to know if there is really a problem. If your cigars aren't getting too soft and/or molding, don't worry about what the hygrometer reads. It is almost impossible to over-humidify cigars with an evaporative type system, so I'm really pretty sure your humidor is fine.

Bill