How to maintain your humidor when you go on vacation?

Summer has arrived and vacations are just around the corner. This is the time of year when we tend to get away for longer periods and travel farther. As you pack your bags and close up the house, an important question arises: What do I do with my humidor? Will it maintain humidity and keep the cigars in good condition during my absence? So, how maintain my humidor?

The best thing you can do, if the size of your humidor and the type of vacation allow it, is to take it with you. If this is not possible, here are some tips to leave your humidor in perfect condition and ensure that everything stays in order until you return.

The first thing you should consider to maintain your humidor is the size and the type of humidification system it has: natural (tray with sponge) or electronic, such as our HR6 or mini HR humidifier. As mentioned earlier, if your humidor is small and you’re driving to your beach or mountain apartment, take it in the trunk with the rest of your luggage.

In case the size of your humidor or the destination doesn’t allow you to take it with you, here are some tips to avoid any problems while you enjoy your well-deserved break:

• Check the cigars: Ensure they are all in good condition and have the same humidity level. If you find some that might deteriorate soon or that you think won’t last the summer, take them with you to enjoy during your vacation. Remember that it is always better to put cigars that need more humidity in the lower part of the humidor. The lower part of the humidor usually has more humidity.
• Appropriate location: Leave your humidor in the coolest room of the house, always away from direct sunlight.
• Adjust temperature and humidity: Check the temperature of the room where you will leave the humidor and adjust the levels accordingly. For example, if the room is around 20ºC, the humidity should be set at about 70%. If the temperature is higher, slightly reduce the humidity (approximately 1% for each degree Celsius, without going below 63%). Consider the climate of your location (near the beach with high humidity or in the mountains with cooler weather, for example) to properly adjust the humidor.

• Natural humidor: If your humidor has a tray and sponge system, moisten the sponge to ensure the mentioned parameters and based on the number of days you will be away.
• Electronic humidification system: Adjust the humidity percentage according to the climate and environment of your city and home. Make sure the device has enough water.
• Cedar wood: The wood of your humidor, especially if it is cedar like the one we use inside the humidors we manufacture at Wacota, absorbs moisture and helps maintain the appropriate environment for preserving cigars.
• Check upon return: When you return from your vacation, check the humidity level of the humidor and adjust as necessary: add water to the electronic system or the tray, or open the door to air out the humidor. It is advisable to ventilate humidors from time to time, especially if they have been closed for a while.
• WIFI devices: Now on the market you can find many electronic devices such as digital hygrometers that can help you keep track of the humidity inside your humidor from a remote location. It can help you to check the humidity and temperature of your humidor.