Protecting premium cigar by maintaining humidity with humidor
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Many people like to use premium cigars instead of the traditional machine made cigars as they feel that these cigars are different being hand made. However one drawback with the premium cigars is that they do not contain chemicals like the machine made cigars that prevent dehydration and drying up of the cigar. Premium cigars tend to dry up quickly and this can be prevented by maintaining humidity level at the desired 70-72 degrees using a humidor.
Handling the humidification elements
One of the basic parts of any humidor is the humidification elements in it. You must not use anything excepting distilled water after the first humidification effect. Ordinary water contains elements that may cake up and collect to clog the humidor and destroying its effectiveness. They may also affect adversely the aroma of the cigar used.
Humidor solution is nothing but a mixture of distilled water with propylene glycol in equal proportions. The function of propylene glycol is to prevent formation of mold as well as bacteria. It also creates a thin absorber layer that absorbs humidity and keeps the level intact. Once you give the initial solution you should only put distilled water in subsequent stages. The distilled water tends to dry up easier than the propylene glycol. Never use the solution frequently.
Humidor set up
Proper maintenance of cigars requires exchange of air. Hence your humidor cannot be airtight. Airtight humidors will grow mold very quickly and destroy the cigars. High quality humidors that are made of wood can be effective even if they are air tight because wood is porous and allows exchange of air. Metal humidors do not have that facility and if made air tight they will cause decay of cigars quickly.
Setting up your humidor for the first time requires care and caution. You cannot just put the humidor in your room and fill it with the collection of cigars. First you must re-humidify the wood or else the cigars may be ruined. In fact all humidors should be re-humidified before the first use.
The process of re-humidifying the humidor is completed in three basic steps. First you should place a shallow container and fill it up with distilled water or the humidor solution and place it at the bottom of the humidor. Next you place calibrated hygrometer inside the humidor. You will then charge your humidification device. Then you should place the humidification device inside humidor. You must also check the humidity of the humidor every day. Humidity level of seventy degrees is ideal for the purpose of storing cigars.
If the cigar is left out of the humidor
It will depend on the atmosphere to which the cigar is exposed in such case and also the protective measures you have taken to protect the cigar. Individual plastic sheets covering cigars protect them from drying out maintaining the required humidity levels.
Just taking out the cigar from the protective wrapper or humidor for a few hours will not affect it adversely. Only prolonged exposure to environmental vagaries can cause damages to your cigar. However if the cigar is out of humidor, the best you can do is to keep it in the plastic sleeves to protect it from being destroyed easily.
About the Author
This website is a comprehensive database for all types of humidors, cigar accessories, and use of cigars and maintaining the humidity levels for their protection. You will have all types of humidors and their manufacturers in view with specification and prices.
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