Humidifiers

Erskine

I am thinking of getting some sort of room humidifier for the room in which I store my guitars. Does anyone have any recommendations? The sort of thing I am looking for is a simple device that is inexpensive.

57Deluxe

whenever I buy anything that has a Silica Gel sachet I keep it and add it into backs of amps and guitar cases.

Erskine

Thanks, but I was thinking of a room humidifier as some of the guitars are left out.

mistercharlie

I have the Wirecutter’s top pick, the Honeywell. It’s great, easy to clean, and does the job. The only thing is that you must clean it every three days. If you’re not ready to do that for the whole winter, then skip it. Not cleaning a humidifier can be very bad for your health. 

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. 

ToneControl

57Deluxe said:

whenever I buy anything that has a Silica Gel sachet I keep it and add it into backs of amps and guitar cases.

that's the opposite thing

ToneControl

I advise not to buy a "cool mist" one
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)

ESBlonde

As a VERY general rule the humidity swings in the UK are not ban enough to warrant a humidifier. BUT if you put your guitars in a sealed airconditioned room without any moisure source (like you breathing) then they might suffer. However the general opinion is that the speed of the swing summer, autumn, winter, spring is more gentle here than other parts of the world.
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?

Erskine

ESBlonde said:

As a VERY general rule the humidity swings in the UK are not ban enough to warrant a humidifier. BUT if you put your guitars in a sealed airconditioned room without any moisure source (like you breathing) then they might suffer. However the general opinion is that the speed of the swing summer, autumn, winter, spring is more gentle here than other parts of the world.
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?

Thanks. I am not sure that I need one. The issue came to mind when I bought a new guitar recently and there was some advice in the case about care which included the recommendation to use a humidifier.

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?

ESBlonde

An Amir environment monitor on the big river retailer is £12. It may not be perfect but it or similar will give you an idea of what is happening. Chances are your room is essentially alright and you just need to be reassured. The note in the the guitar case would be for the US market in all probability but do assure yourself rather than take the word of a random bloke on the interweb.

Erskine

Thanks, ESBlonde. After my last response I took myself off into the world of eBay monitors and found one, It has actually just arrived this evening. So, I will test it in the morning and see what is reading. It cost a whole £7.90!

thermionic

http://static.squarespace.com/static/52bc986be4b097881152c8b1/t/5307cc95e4b06bc0a254315f/1393020456714/michael-craig-martin-an-oak-tree.png

ESBlonde

Erskine said:

Thanks, ESBlonde. After my last response I took myself off into the world of eBay monitors and found one, It has actually just arrived this evening. So, I will test it in the morning and see what is reading. It cost a whole £7.90!

Good. It's changes and more importantly rapid deep changes that are bad for the wood/guitar. By rapid I mean in weeks.

ToneControl

Erskine said:

ESBlonde said:

As a VERY general rule the humidity swings in the UK are not ban enough to warrant a humidifier. BUT if you put your guitars in a sealed airconditioned room without any moisure source (like you breathing) then they might suffer. However the general opinion is that the speed of the swing summer, autumn, winter, spring is more gentle here than other parts of the world.
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?

Thanks. I am not sure that I need one. The issue came to mind when I bought a new guitar recently and there was some advice in the case about care which included the recommendation to use a humidifier.

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?

I strongly disagree
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?

mistercharlie

Below 45% is also uncomfortable for humans. Your sinuses dry out, your nose will bleed enough to give you scabby bogeys, your skin and lips will get dry, and you may get red itchy patches on your skin. 

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. 

ToneControl

buy 2 digital humidity meters (some are inaccurate - put 2 together and make sure they agree), near your guitars, at the same height in the room.
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.

Sassafras

Every day I thank God for humidifiers.
I can't think how on Earth we managed before they were invented.

Erskine

Well, the main room in which the guitars is stored is reading 54% using this cheapo humidity meter. So maybe I don't have the problem I thought I had.  

ESBlonde

Erskine said:

Well, the main room in which the guitars is stored is reading 54% using this cheapo humidity meter. So maybe I don't have the problem I thought I had.  

Good, now continue to monitor. After a week place a small open water source in the room for say 4 hours and see how that effects the humidity.
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.  ;-)