You are here:

Cigars/in-duct humidifiers

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/14/2009


Question
Hi I live in the midwest and it is very dry in the winter months about 22 percent realitive humidity in my house as I type.  My 150 count humidor is only maintaining about 63 percent humidity and about 69 degress F.  Im thinking about adding a in-duct humidifier for the whole house to keep the humidity at 30 to 35 percent.  Will this help in raising the humidity in my humidor or should I just try using a humidification device like a humicare crystal gel jar to get it to 70 percent humidity

           Thanks, Denny

Answer
Hi Denny,

Adding an in-duct humidification system to your home to improve the overall humidity level can slightly improve a humidor's performance in a home but the best and most effective method to improve humidity in your humidor is to add or upgrade the humidification device inside your humidor.  In regions that are very dry, upgrading the humdifier or adding a second unit to your humidor will definitely boost the humidity to a more reasonable level.  

If you're planning to add an in-duct humidification system to your home anyways, that's fine but it's best to also have an improved humidification system inside your humidor so you don't have to rely on your home's humidification system to maintain your cigars.

Hope this helps.  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

Cigars

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

James Yee

Expertise

My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".

Experience

I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.

Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)


Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.