Expert: James Yee - 4/12/2007

Question
I just recently bought a used thirty count humidor.  I seasoned it overnight
and it seemed to be alright, but I wasn't sure because of my analog
hygrometer.  So I bought a digital one and a brand new humidifying device.  
For the past few days i've been checking it and it appears that at night the
humidity goes up to about 68% and in the day it drops to 63%-65%.  I can't
get my humidity at or above 70%.  Is there any reason why this could be
happening?  I have cigars in there and a few of them are fairly dried out.  
Maybe those cigars are absorbing the humidity?  I'm confused about it,
honestly.

Also, i've heard that using humidor crystals can cause bacteria to grow in
your humidor.  Is this true?

Thanks alot for the help
~Albert

Answer
Hi Albert

If your cigars were dry to begin with and you added a lot of cigars to your humidor, then it's very possible that they will absorb most of the humidor's humidity for the first couple of weeks.  Once the cigars are rehydrated, the humidity level in your humidor will begin to stabilize.  Check the humidification device everynight and if it appears to be constantly low on moisture even after you've replenished it the night before, then either the cigars are absorbing all the humidity or the humidor wasn't thoroughly seasoned.  In either case, it may take a week or two for the humidity to stabilize.   If the humidity continues to drop, be sure to also check your humidor lid for a tight seal and inspect the entire humidor exterior for any construction flaws/damage that might can a leak in humidity.

Also, slight humidity fluctuations during the course of a day is actually quite normal and can be the result of your humidor adjusting to the temperature and humidity levels of your home.  External factors such as your electronic thermostat, an additional heat or natural light source (such as a window that lets in a substantial amount of heat and sunlight during the day) or even an abundance of humidity in your home from a humidifier can cause your humidor’s humidity/temperature to adjust accordingly.  A shift of 5 degrees isn’t much cause for alarm but if you’re concerned with your humidor not meeting 70% humidity, what you can do is add a one-time dosage of 50% distilled water and 50% propylene glycol to your humidification device and that should correct the humidity to 70%.  You only need to add this mixture just once and the propylene glycol should last in your humidor for at least a year or two before it needs to be replenished.  After the initial dosage, simply add distilled water to your humidification device when needed.  (If your humidity exceeds way past 75% after you added the propylene glycol, don’t worry.  It normally takes a week for the humidity to stabilize.)  If you don’t have any propylene glycol, most reputable tobacconists and pharmacies will carry.

To answer your other question, humidor crystals are actually less likely to cause bacteria to grow.  Humidor crystals are actually cleaner and retains less residual water because they're not as porous as traditional aquafoam humidifiers.  Because of this, less water is trapped to promote bacteria growth.  This also applies to other cellulose polymer/gel-based humidification devices.

I hope this answers your questions. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask.

Regards,
James