Hi everyone I am new to the forums. Maybe someone can help with a few hopefully easy questions I have.
During the summer months I have to store my humidors in the basement and the temp is roughly 60-65F with 65-70% humidity.
During the winter months I have to relocate my humidors to the dining room and the temp. is roughly 67-72F with 65-70% humidity.
Are these numbers right on target with long term storage of my precious cigars? Also I just use distilled water in a small dish at the bottom of the humidors instead of using other ways to keep the humidity up. If this works for me is it safe or should I start to use a humidity device instead of a dish of distilled water?

Thank you all for your time in advance.

-John

Hi John: Welcome to the boards!

Those numbers sound about right. I know some people recommend a slightly lower humidity for long term storage, but you should be fine if you are able to maintain humidity in those ranges.

I'd suggest some form of humidification device. It doesn't need to be anything special or expensive. A lot of people use something similar to this for smaller humidors. The gel contained in those jars regulate the release of moisture and so you won't need to fill them as often as I suspect you refill your dish of distilled water.

Some of the other members here might be able to shed some more light on this topic for you, also. Experiment, and see what works best for you.

Thank you lawstudent10. Hope to see you around on here.

A dish of distilled water could easily spill. Slao, there is no way to regulate the amount of moisture being released.

I will PRESUME that you have an analog hygrometer.

My recommendation would be to get a floral foam type humidification element. Use a 50% solution of Distilled water and Propylene Glycol every 6-months, and the rest of the time use distilled water.

Get a DIGITAL HYGROMETER which is far more accurate than an analog.

Temperatures should be under 70 degrees. About 65-68 is good. RH should be between 65 and 70% depending on how your cigars feel. They should be neither hard as a rock nor soft as a babys behind.

Thanks Doc. This is true I really never thought about the dish spilling which would be very bad! I have never used the Propylene Glycol. As for the hygrometer I actually use both because some shop owners I talk to swear on one or the other so being confused I decided to just use both in each humidor.
Now comes the very confusing part for me. All my cigars seem to fall right in the neither hard nor soft category which is perfect. But my opus-x cigars are really firm(not sure if this would be considered hard or normal for a opus). I admit I know nothing about the opus-x cigars however was able to pick up 2 boxes a week ago so of course with all the hype I am going to age them. And coming from a auth. opus dealer I assume them being firm is "normal". Well thank you for your time Docbarry hope to see you around on this forum as I find my way around here. I have to admit lots of great info on here. THANKS!

Opus will smoke better at 65% RH as their thick wrapper tends to extinguish the cigar when too moist.

my advice is always listen to doc

I take it doc. has lots of knowledge. I will remember this and try not to bother him to much with questions I have.

quote:

Originally posted by Cigar Kid:
I take it doc. has lots of knowledge. I will remember this and try not to bother him to much with questions I have.

Doc is pretty much one of the experts around here. Listen to him and you're sticks will thank you with much plume.

'A woman is an occasional pleasure but a cigar is always a smoke' - GROUCHO MARX