Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2017 7:38:42 GMT -5
Dear MN Luthier:
I live in a building that is heated with a steam radiator system. Between the dry, cold winds of winter, and the dry heat that the building system pumps out, I am always concerned about humidifying my guitars, which are always kept cased.
The hygrometer on the wall (accurate to within +/- 2%) is currently reading 49% RH. Since we are expecting a cold, windy day today, I just set up my trusty and very capable room humidifier, which will raise the RH to 55%, easily. With that going on, do I really need to dampen the sponges in my in-case soap-dish humidifiers, as well, or would that just be overkill and provide too much moisture? A good friend of mine recommends both, but I have experienced guitar edema and thuddiness in the past when they have been over-humidified. I am hesitant to create too much humidity. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Confused in Brooklyn
PS: Best wishes for a very Happy New Year and better days to come in 2018, to everyone here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 27, 2017 7:52:53 GMT -5
With the humidity up to 55% you should be just fine, no case humidifiers needed.
|
|
|
|
Post by millring on Dec 27, 2017 7:57:03 GMT -5
You obviously missed Marty's thread from last week. He highly recommended this system:  |
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Dec 27, 2017 9:39:42 GMT -5
55% ? ? ? That's crazy high. (Not dangerous, but not normal for most winter heating systems). You have more than just steam radiators. There's some humidification going on somewhere. 40% should be fine (and more normal for good winter situation).
I fight here to keep the house in the 30s. And I've got 2 humidifiers on the furnace system, and some room vaporizers cooking away on the nasty cold days.
|
|
|
|
Post by TKennedy on Dec 27, 2017 9:40:23 GMT -5
I start worrying a little below 35% and a lot in the 20’s.
I build at about 40 so I think my guitars are pretty safe in the 30’s and maybe even the high 20’s.
I have had more issues with overhumidification with high action swollen top and flattened neck. (Room 40 plus a high output Oasis in the soundhole plus a couple of soap dishes.
Those never seem to totally come back to baseline and need a setup tweek.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 27, 2017 14:00:39 GMT -5
Yesterday my shop got down to 32%. I refilled the humidifier with warm water and turned up the level control. Today it's back to 43% but when the weather warms up I will probably have to turn the level back down a bit.
|
|
|
|
Post by billhammond on Dec 27, 2017 14:08:51 GMT -5
Yesterday my shop got down to 32%. I refilled the humidifier with warm water and turned up the level control. Today it's back to 43% but when the weather warms up (August) I will probably have to turn the level back down a bit. |
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 27, 2017 14:30:37 GMT -5
I would never get the humidity to 55%. As Marshall said, way too high.
I would be very comfortable with 40-45% and would feel better with it closer to 40 than 45.
I think a lot of people over humidify.
Our place stays at 40% all winter very easily. I adjust the furnace humidifier based on the temp outside and right now it is 2 which is better than the -7 we had overnight.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2017 14:46:09 GMT -5
I've turned my closet into a humidity chamber. The closet air is struggling to reach 40% today due to the weather, but I keep the sound hole and soap box humidifiers in the cases regardless.
EDIT: The phrase in heavy rotation here? "Hey, honey, could you close the closet door?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Doug on Dec 27, 2017 15:07:56 GMT -5
When we lived in FL running the AC 24/7 I could keep the humidity down to around 80%. If you want that sound stuff your guitar with socks. Now the humidity runs 8-35% unless we are having monsoon rains. Cargo cult.  |
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 27, 2017 15:26:25 GMT -5
I use case humidifiers but I have never used a soundhole humidifier.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2017 15:51:03 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Marty on Dec 27, 2017 16:04:32 GMT -5
The link doesn't work for me Paul but if a OH-1 is a Oasis humidifier then you made a good choice. Oasis humidifiers work well but they need yearly maintenance and never take one on the airlines, they pop.
|
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 27, 2017 16:49:30 GMT -5
I use Oasis case humidifiers. They are great. |
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Dec 27, 2017 16:53:00 GMT -5
The link doesn't work for me Paul but if a OH-1 is a Oasis humidifier then you made a good choice. Oasis humidifiers work well but they need yearly maintenance and never take one on the airlines, they pop. Interesting. Must be the pressure differentials in flight. Oh, and ALWAYS use distilled water with your Oasis. There are NO deposits in distilled water to be left behind and clog up the works when the water evaporates out. |
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 27, 2017 19:16:56 GMT -5
The link doesn't work for me Paul but if a OH-1 is a Oasis humidifier then you made a good choice. Oasis humidifiers work well but they need yearly maintenance and never take one on the airlines, they pop. Interesting. Must be the pressure differentials in flight. Oh, and ALWAYS use distilled water with your Oasis. There are NO deposits in distilled water to be left behind and clog up the works when the water evaporates out. Distilled water? I thought they said use something from a distillery. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2017 20:13:16 GMT -5
55% ? ? ? That's crazy high. (Not dangerous, but not normal for most winter heating systems). You have more than just steam radiators. There's some humidification going on somewhere. 40% should be fine (and more normal for good winter situation). I fight here to keep the house in the 30s. And I've got 2 humidifiers on the furnace system, and some room vaporizers cooking away on the nasty cold days. Posted by drlj 5 hours ago I would never get the humidity to 55%. As Marshall said, way too high. I would be very comfortable with 40-45% and would feel better with it closer to 40 than 45. I think a lot of people over humidify. Our place stays at 40% all winter very easily. I adjust the furnace humidifier based on the temp outside and right now it is 2 which is better than the -7 we had overnight. ___________________ Three of my guitars were built by Huss and Dalton. This is a direct quote from the Instrument Care section of their website: "Your musical instruments are most comfortable in the same temperatures and humidity that you are!... Your instrument should be kept in a humidity range of 45 to around 65%." Summers in New York can be very humid, but the A/C usually takes care of the excess. Winters are drier, and the RH in the room where the guitars are never reaches anywhere near 65%. At 45 - 55, with a small room humidifier working, the guitars seem to be quite happy and sound and play great. Thanks, everyone! Thanks, Marty. |
|
|
|
Post by drlj on Dec 28, 2017 8:57:08 GMT -5
The problem here is confusing the proper humidity level for a heated home in winter with the proper humidity level for your guitar. If you look up proper humidity levels for you home in the winter, you will see much lower levels than 55%. Levels that high can cause problems with too much condensation on windows, damp spots on plaster if there is a cold spot and other such things. It was -7 here 24 hours ago. If the humidity level inside was 55%, the windows would have had condensation from top to bottom.
Keeping your home at the right level AND using case/ guitar humidifiers will protect your home and guitar.
If your home humidity is 35-40% in winter when the furnace is on and you have a Marty style case humidifier in the case, your guitars will be fine. If your house is 55% and your guitars are in the cases, they are not in a 55% humidity level anyway. They are in whatever the level the humidity is in the case.
This is why I said 55% in the house is too high.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2017 9:18:56 GMT -5
The link doesn't work for me Paul but if a OH-1 is a Oasis humidifier then you made a good choice. Oasis humidifiers work well but they need yearly maintenance and never take one on the airlines, they pop. Interesting. Must be the pressure differentials in flight. Oh, and ALWAYS use distilled water with your Oasis. There are NO deposits in distilled water to be left behind and clog up the works when the water evaporates out. Guilty for not using distilled water. I need to get some today while I'm out. I know what the directions said... |
|
|
|
Post by Marshall on Dec 28, 2017 14:28:41 GMT -5
, . . . with a small room humidifier working, . . . , OK. Now I see. Any windows in that room? I bet there's condensation. Back 40 years ago when I lived in an apartment, I had a cabinet wheel humidifier. I kept that baby cranking. The aluminum frame patio door had blocks of ICE on it, I was cranking so much humidity. Most all of the windows were fogged. Presently with a furnace humidifier and 3 vaporizers around the house (filled twice a day) I can keep the office/music room @ 35%. During the summer with AC on it only gets up to 53% max in the room. And @ 35% right now, there's condensation on the windows. 55% seems high. I keep guitars out in summer. In heating season they sit in cases mostly with Oasis humidifiers in them. |
|
