Common Problems With Humidors and How to Fix Them

Humidors are used to keep cigars safe and stored at the optimal humidity level, typically 65-70%, to ensure their longevity and to keep them tasting fresh and aromatic. However, humidors can sometimes encounter various problems that can affect the storage conditions and, thus, the quality of the cigars.

Problems with a humidor can occur due to both inferior craftsmanship and human error in storing them. Here are some of the most common issues with humidors and how to fix them.

Inconsistent Humidity

One of the most common problems with humidors is maintaining a consistent humidity level. Fluctuating humidity can lead to the cigars drying out or becoming too moist. This can be caused by a faulty or inaccurate hygrometer, poor seal on the humidor, or improper placement of the humidification device.

Improper Calibration

Hygrometers, which measure humidity levels, can sometimes become inaccurate over time. It’s essential to regularly calibrate and check the accuracy of the hygrometer using a reliable calibration kit to ensure that the readings are correct.

Poor Seal

A humidor with a poor seal can allow moisture to escape or enter the box, disrupting the humidity level inside. This can be caused by worn-out or damaged gaskets, warped or misaligned lids, or low-quality construction. A poor seal makes it difficult to maintain a consistent humidity level.

Overcrowding

Overpacking a humidor with too many cigars can hinder air circulation and impede the humidification process. It can also lead to uneven distribution of humidity, resulting in some cigars being exposed to excess moisture while others may dry out.

Insufficient Humidity Causes Dry Cigars

If the humidor fails to maintain the desired humidity level, the cigars can become dry and lose their flavour and aroma. This can happen if the humidification device is not properly filled or maintained or if the humidor is too large for the device to adequately humidify the entire space.

Cigars can become dry if the evaporation surface of the humidifier is small in relation to the humidor’s size. If this is the case, then you will need to swap out your humidifier for a larger one or one with a regulated air flow function.

Another reason for cigars becoming dry is that the wood of the humidor is too dry, so too much moisture is being taken from the air instead. It is more common for this to happen with new humidors. This is an easy fix, as you simply need to re-humidify the wood by wiping the lining with a damp cloth.

Excessive Humidity Causes Damp Cigars

Cigars can get too damp for a few reasons; because the humidity level is too high, because the cigars are being stored too close to the humidifier or because the humidifier is too big relative to the humidor’s size.

To resolve these problems, try reducing the humidity level a little. Move the cigars further away from the humidifier, or keep the cigars that are closest to the humidifier in an aluminium tube.

If your humidifier is too large for your humidor, you can either simply buy a smaller humidifier or tape up a section of your existing larger humidifier so less of it acts as a humidifier, making it more size appropriate.

Mouldy Humidor

Excessive humidity can also result in mould growth in your humidor and on cigars, making them unsmokeable. This problem may occur if the humidification device is overfilled, the humidor is not properly ventilated, or the ambient humidity is too high for a long time.

How to Remove Mould From a Humidor

A mouldy humidor is clearly not a great humidor! To resolve this issue, firstly, get your cigars out of there and into a safe spot for the duration of the cleaning stage; there’s no way to scrub out the mould around them! Throw away any cigars that have been defeated by the mould, as they cannot be salvaged and will just re-infect your humidor.

Avoid using chemical mould-killing cleaners, like bleach, in your humidor. The smell of these chemicals will infuse the cigars when you put them back, and any liquids can transfer onto the wrapper and ruin it.

Instead, opt for a natural mould remover, such as vodka, and wipe the mould away with as little liquid as you can. Then dry out the humidor using a hairdryer.

The next step is to sand down the inside of the humidor a little and remove any dust to ensure that all the mould has gone.

Humidor Has Both Damp and Dry Areas

If the humidor has patches that are too damp and others that are too dry, it means that something is stopping the moisture in the air from being evenly distributed throughout the humidor.

Most often, this will be caused by a tray or drawer. If there are trays, firstly check that any air holes above or below the humidifier are not obstructed by anything, as this could be the main cause of the problem. You can then drill some extra holes into the tray to promote better airflow throughout the humidor.

Humidor Smells Musty

There are a number of reasons for a humidor to smell musty. Firstly, the wood in the humidor may not be the best type for keeping your cigars in the best condition, so re-line the humidor with Spanish cedar, which is the optimum wood type for humidors.

Another cause is that some of the surfaces haven’t been treated; for example, any slots in the trays or strips to divide up sections may be untreated.

Using a two-component clear lacquer, carefully varnish any areas that have not yet been treated, including inside air holes.

Finally, a musty smell can be a symptom of too much humidity. Again, the only way to resolve this is to re-line the humidor with Spanish cedar wood.

Cigar Bouquet Lost

The bouquet of a cigar is the aroma the cigar gives off when burning. The smell of a cigar is one of the most enjoyable parts of the smoking experience and helps give the smoker a lot of clues as to the carefully blended mix of flavours present in the stogie, so if your cigars begin to lose this, it is important to fix it!

One reason for this is that too few cigars are being kept in too large a humidor. While this is a great excuse to buy a whole bunch of new cigars to fill in the gaps, a quick (and cheaper) fix is to place some closed boxes into the humidor to take up some of the room, reducing the amount of open-air space.

Another cause is that you are airing your humidor, which is not necessary and can cause problems, such as losing the bouquet. Instead of airing the humidor, if there is too much moisture, lower the humidifier’s evaporation surface, or get a humidifier with a regulated system.

To maintain optimal conditions for cigar storage, it’s important to address all of these issues promptly. Regular maintenance, proper calibration of instruments, and attention to ventilation and seal quality will help prevent these common problems and ensure that your cigars remain in excellent condition.

If the problems with your humidor seem bad enough that it appears to be a lost cause, then maybe it is time to upgrade your gear with a quality humidor from Havana House. It may even give you the excuse to add to your cigar collection too!