Summer and the Humidor

With summer almost here, any tips for maintaining the proper environment in our humidors?

Posted: July 2, 2012

Yes, but that advice depends on whether your humidor sits in an air-conditioned room.

If it does, you'll probably have to replenish your humidification device more often than usual—especially if that arctic air blows 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Air conditioning sucks moisture right out of a room.

If you live in a humid area and you don't have an air conditioner, you may not need to water your humidifier all summer. Check it often, though, for two reasons.

First, your box may become too humid, requiring you to keep it open for an hour a day or so. And second, temperature, not humidity, may present a larger problem. If the temperature inside your humidor soars to the high 70s, your box can become a breeding ground for the dreaded cigar beetles.

If you do encounter cigar beetles, don't worry, there is a solution: the freezer. Click here to watch a video of Gordon Mott explaining this process.

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Comments 3 comment(s)

Ryan Moran — Panama City Beach, FL, United States, — August 8, 2012 9:07am ET

I cannot keep the temps down in my humidor. Even with the air running most of the day. I dont know what to do. I can't believe I dont have tobacco beetles. Can you smoke a cigar that has been in contact with tobacco beetles? Any recommendations on keeping temps down? Do they make anything for that purpose?

David Savona — August 8, 2012 9:29am ET

Unless you have a humidor that also controls temperature (such as a Liebherr), the temperature really depends on where you store the humidor. If your temperatures are too high, move it to a cooler place--perhaps a basement.

Thomas Dahlgren — Johnson City, TN, U, — October 2, 2012 9:45am ET

Basements are rather rare in the Florida panhandle.

Wood is a darn good insulator, so a chilled, dry object added to the interior of the humidor can help get the temperature back down. Place a few pieces of tableware in the fridge to chill them, then wrap in a dry kitchen towel and place in the humidor for an hour or two. Go slow, rush the job and you'll risk condensation that could cause some sticks to swell and split.

Once cooled the trick is to prevent the interior from warming up again. That means avoiding heat sources like any direct sun or exterior walls. A low kitchen cabinet or hall closet might be a good location. Ideally you want someplace with maximum insulation from outside temperature, but also decent air circulation to keep things cool.

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