Maintaining humidity in a humidor is relatively straightforward for experienced cigar enthusiasts who are familiar with the process. However, for those new to the world of cigars, it may require a bit more effort and attention to detail.

It's crucial to understand that losing humidity in a humidor is a normal occurrence and can happen due to various factors. Therefore, there's no need to worry or panic when observing fluctuations in humidity. The key is to be aware of these factors and take appropriate measures to address them. By exercising patience, regularly monitoring the humidity levels, and implementing proper maintenance practices, even newcomers can ensure that their humidor maintains the desired humidity level for optimal preservation of their valuable cigar collection.

Location in Your Home

Avoid storing your humidor in direct sunlight or near heat sources. Continuous exposure to light and heat causes the humidity inside the box to evaporate, leading to moisture loss in your cigars.

Avoid Overload Your Cigars

Store fewer cigars than the maximum capacity of your humidor. Leave approximately 20-25% of the space empty to allow proper air and humidity circulation. Overfilling the humidor results in humidity not lasting as long, necessitating more frequent reservoir refills. Storing an excessive number of cigars limits the distribution of humidity.

Properly Season Your Humidor

Have you properly seasoned your humidor? Aim for consistent humidity readings of 65-75% before storing your cigars (the higher, the better). If not, the humidor and cigars will compete for moisture, depleting the humidification source faster. If your humidor has been unused and dried out, treat it like a new box by re-seasoning it. 

Fluctuation Due to New, Dry Cigars

You will observe a drop in humidity in the humidor after you place new cigars in. This is because new cigars are always dry, and detract humidity since they soak up moisture from the humidor. If all the cigars are dry, check the hygrometer and recharge the humidifier(s) at intervals to ensure the cigars are stored at a proper humidity level. Also you can consider placing dried-out cigars in a Ziploc bag with a Boveda pack for a few weeks until fully humidified before transferring them to the humidor. If the humidity keeps dropping for a long period of time, disregard this factor.

Check the Accuracy of Your Hygrometer

Before attempting to fix a humidor that appears to be losing humidity, it is important to confirm whether it is genuinely experiencing a decline in humidity. While most Woodronic hygrometers come pre-calibrated, if you have any doubts about the accuracy of the hygrometer reading, it is recommended to recalibrate it. It is crucial because if your hygrometer fails to accurately measure the humidity in your humidor, there is a risk of over-humidifying your cigars.

Ensure to Perform Regular Maintenance

Remember to regularly check and recharge your newly-seasoned humidor. Regular maintenance of your humidor includes checking the hygrometer reading, and refilling the humidifiers with distilled water or propylene glycol when the humidity drops into the low 60s. If you use Boveda packs, replace them when they become stiff and dry (Normally Boveda packs can last 2 to 6 months, depending on the number of cigars being stored). If it has been a while since you last added water and the humidor is dried out, repeat the seasoning process.

Identify Leaks in Your Humidor

Apart from the factors mentioned above, one common cause of humidity drop in a humidor is a leak. Leaks typically occur around the glass top of the humidor, allowing humidity to escape through the seal when the lid is closed. If the leak is minor, you can address the continuous loss of humidity by refilling the humidification device more frequently or using Boveda packs with a higher relative humidity (RH), such as 75%. However, if the leak is significant, it is advisable to replace your humidor with a new one to ensure proper humidity control.