So you bought a new humidor, now what?
Congrats! You might be thinking “Let’s fill it up!”. Not so fast, let’s run through the bases first and get you started on the right foot.
Intro
A humidor works to keep your cigars tasting and smoking great. You might have already figured that one out. What you might not have considered is that they require regular maintenance to continue to work. Without the right maintenance, your humidor will actually dry out your cigars! Wow crazy, right?Don’t worry, it’s not backbreaking effort here. Without further a due, here are a few tips to keep your humidor going strong.
Season it up
That’s right, your humidor needs a little seasoning before you use it.
Cedar absorbs moisture and releases it slowly, this is the key to maintaining humidity. However, when the humidor first arrives, the cedar is dry. If you place cigars in your new dry humidor, the cedar will naturally absorb moisture from them (no bueno). Seasoning before your first use is crucial and will keep this from happening.
A simple way to season your humidor is to fill a small container with distilled water, then place it inside the humidor (with the lid closed) for a few days. It’s recommended between 1-3 days to do the trick.
You are going to need to do this seasoning every 6 months to keep the box in tip-top shape.
Staying humid
Ok so you have seasoned it up, all done right? Not quite. You now need to keep your humidor between 63-70% humidity. This is done with a humidifier (duh). They come in more than one style but we are going to keep it simple here and talk about the traditional and most common version for at home use.
Your humidifier is what keeps the air moist and affects the moisture in the cedar and cigars. Foam-based humidifiers are simple to operate (you should follow the instructions included with them) typically you will soak the humidifier in a room temperature bath of good old distilled water for about 5 mins. Keep an eye on your hydrometer and refill your humidifier as needed. This could be every few days to every few weeks or months.
Keep it cool man
The ideal internal temperature for your humidor should be 70 degrees. However outside conditions will greatly affect the interior humidity and temperature. Keep your humidor out of the sun. Additionally, outside humidity (or lack thereof) will affect the humidity in the humidor.
Pro tip: Don’t place your new humidor directly under your air conditioner vent, direct A/C will dry your humidor out.
How often do you use your humidor?
The most common humidifying method used for humidors are distilled water (as mentioned above) and propylene glycol. Both work great and come with their pros and cons depending on how often you are opening the humidor. When the humidor is opened, the humidified air escapes and this will affect the air’s relative humidity. If you find yourself opening your humidor on a frequent basis, we recommend using distilled water, because it’s easier to replace, meaning lower maintenance for you.
If you are a more occasional smoker, propylene glycol might work better for you. Propylene glycol is cool because it doesn’t evaporate unless the air hits a certain humidity range. When left undisturbed in a closed humidor, the propylene glycol will last longer. It’s also an antifungal which will prevent plumes from growing on your cigars.
Check it out
A hygrometer is your best weapon against fluctuating humidity. Check out the hygrometer (the meter attached to your humidor that tells the relative humidity in your humidor) checking this once a week to make sure it is maintaining a relative humidity of 70% is a good idea. Keeping your eye on this stat will help you determine how often your humidifier needs to be refilled or replaced.