Desktop humidor temperature control

[PhilB]

So, things are going along swimmingly. The desktop humidor I was given is now seasoned, stable at 65% RH and I'm slowly adding sticks (Oh, this will get expensive real fast, specially at Canadian prices!)

However, I'm wondering: How crucial is the temperature compared to the humidity? The humidity will get controlled just fine and dandy by the Boveda, but that does nothing for temperature.

Now, this is Vancouver, so it's never insanely hot, but there are potentially a few 90 degree days in the summer every once in a while. We don't have A/C (because, once again: Vancouver). I could move it to the potentially cooler basement for the summer, but my office where the desktop humidor is is North facing, so there should never be direct sunlight coming in through there.

What do you folks with desktop humidors do about temperature? I mean...these sticks are usually made in some pretty damn hot places!

Thanks...

[Deke]

I believe the standard answer here will be that you want to keep the temperature down to prevent cigar beetle eggs from hatching. Yes, the cigars are made in pretty damn hot places, but so too are the bugs that can come with them.

I've read that if you let the temps get much above 75 degrees F, and certainly above 80, you are risking cigar beetles. How often does it really get that warm in your office?

I keep mine in my study, and it will get to the mid 70s and higher in late spring and early fall. But I put the A/C on in the summer before it would get in the 80s in that room. I have thought about simply moving it to the basement for the summer. A wineador is another possible answer.

I will be interested in seeing the other responses you get.

[Emperor Zurg]

I freeze all incoming stock. I never bother about temperature control. My cigars stay at work and while it's somewhat air conditioned during the day, nights and weekends the A/C is off. I've never had a bug problem thus far.

[projectsunfire]

So, things are going along swimmingly. The desktop humidor I was given is now seasoned, stable at 65% RH and I'm slowly adding sticks (Oh, this will get expensive real fast, specially at Canadian prices!)

However, I'm wondering: How crucial is the temperature compared to the humidity? The humidity will get controlled just fine and dandy by the Boveda, but that does nothing for temperature.

Now, this is Vancouver, so it's never insanely hot, but there are potentially a few 90 degree days in the summer every once in a while. We don't have A/C (because, once again: Vancouver). I could move it to the potentially cooler basement for the summer, but my office where the desktop humidor is is North facing, so there should never be direct sunlight coming in through there.

What do you folks with desktop humidors do about temperature? I mean...these sticks are usually made in some pretty damn hot places!

Thanks...

General rule of thumb is you want to keep your temps under 70 degrees F to prevent beetle infestation. I have also heard that too high temps can cause rot. I keep both my temps and humidity under 65.

[Sir Lancerolot]

I freeze all incoming stock. I never bother about temperature control.

This.

I live in Phoenix. Sure, we have AC, and we keep the house around 81* in the summer. No beetle problems ever. Freezing kills beetles in all stages of development, so unless you introduce unfrozen sticks that happen to be infested with beetles, you're pretty darned safe.

Maybe not 100%, because tobacco beetles will actually eat other substances as well. So, they could conceivably be introduced to the house in a box of corn flakes or something, and find their way to your humidor. But that's a bit of a stretch. Unless you happen to have the luck of Wile E. Coyote, you should be safe freezing everything and ignoring temperatures.

[PhilB]

Moved it to the basement for now. In under an hour, it's gone from 73 to under 69 and still dropping.

I haven't frozen any sticks yet, and I only buy a few at a time from B&M so far, so rotating freezing stock every few days would suck.

I am waiting for 15 sticks from an online order, so perhaps I should freeze those...

[Sir Lancerolot]

The ONLY tobacco beetle I have ever encountered in a cigar was actually in a foil-wrapped Illusione from a B&M. No hole in the foil - just a pinhole in the cigar wrapper and a nasty little popping sound and foul taste when it burned far enough.

[PhilB]

Yeah, right now, temperature is climbing outside to record highs...it's almost 85 degrees on the outside wall facing the same way as my office. The humidor in the basement is still dropping, it's at about 66.5 degrees right now, so I'm guessing I have nothing to worry about (if I decide not to freeze anything).

I did like having it on my office desk, though, I won't lie!

[projectsunfire]

Yeah, right now, temperature is climbing outside to record highs...it's almost 85 degrees on the outside wall facing the same way as my office. The humidor in the basement is still dropping, it's at about 66.5 degrees right now, so I'm guessing I have nothing to worry about (if I decide not to freeze anything).

I did like having it on my office desk, though, I won't lie!

The answer is always...WINEADOR

[PhilB]

The answer is always...WINEADOR

All in due time!