It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!
Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
Comments
This was my third winter with it and I decided on something with less maintenance, so I got the Venta (also mentioned in the Wirecutter article). It’s not cheap, but it works well in a medium-sized room, and you only have to clean it every 10 days, thanks to a special chemical you add to the water. I have it running 24/7, and it works fine.
The honeywell is a lot quieter than the venta on the low setting, contrary to what Wirecutter says.
The humidifier is is good for your guitars, but also for you. You won’t get cracked lips, or dry red spots on your skin, or dry sinuses. I have had fewer colds since I got one, but that might be coincidence.
They all grow harmful bacteria unless you clean them every few days
Buy a heat-based one. It's better to get a separate hygrostat if you can find one, and then use a dumb humidifier that just comes on when the mains is attached: the "clever" ones with sensors and non-physical switch settings can be a pain
Also they vary a lot in how noisy they are
also buy a kg of citric acid from ebay, to descale them every few months (also good for kettles)
In the USA guitarists are rightly more concerned and indeed many guitars based there get 'checking' on the finish because of the wide and rapid swings in moisure levels in the environment.
Of course once damage is done it's harder to repair, but are you sure you need a humidifier? Could you just place a saucer of water on a radiator once a week and monitor with one of those digital devices that are very affordable these days?
I keep the guitars in a bedroom that is not used. It tends to be only myself who uses it for playing. I also do not have the heating on particularly high in that room. Just enough to keep the chill away. So maybe there is no need. The one thing about the room is that it does face south, so there is a fair amount of solar gain.
Monitoring device. Do you mean a hygrostat? I looked at those and I found they were pretty expensive. Am I looking at the wrong thing?
Guitar makers recommend 45-50% typically
Many UK houses drop to below 35% humidity in winter, sometimes even below 30%
This can cause damage, and will certainly make instruments harder to play.
Why would that be considered OK?
If if it’s just your guitars you’re worried about, and the humidity isn’t really low, then keep them in their cases with a case humidifier. I use a little plastic box with a wet sponge inside. I just punched holes in the box to let the moisture out. Works a treat, and you can stop it getting molding by microwaving the sponge, or pouring boiling water over once in a while.
Then make a judgement on whether you need one. In particular measure it on a day when it's frosty with clear skies outside, and you have the heating on.
I can't think how on Earth we managed before they were invented.
The digital device is not to be regarded as an absolute but will give you general indications.
@Sassafras said:
Every day I thank God for humidifiers.
I can't think how on Earth we managed before they were invented.
I can't think how we survived without cenral heating and sealed plastic double glazing either, I'm amazed we are so adaptable. ;-)