Remember to humidify, if you heat your house

Doc_J

Doc_J

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Finally turned on the heat in November here. And got the humidifiers ready. Remember to humidify, if you heat your house. Use a hygrometer to check the RH. I humidify at 40% RH or lower.

Here's my humidifiers, costing less than 20 cents each. I prefer a quality polymer, non-sodium based crystals, used in cigar humidifiers, about 1/2 a teaspoon per bottle.

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I buy "Soil Moist" at my local garden shop. Same stuff, about $17 for what looks to be a lifetime supply for me and several of my friends.

For bottles, I use old medication bottles and film cans.

Ive got them in every case except the Banjo Ukes (not hard cases).


-Kurt​
 
I bought a hygrometer because I was interested to see what conditions were like in my house. Heatings been on low for about a month and RH seems to vary between 58 and 68 over a 24hr period. We tend to leave the thermostat on 18 celcius so I'm hoping that we won't see much change through the Winter. It will be interesting to see what happens next summer
 
ricdoug said:
I just took a photo of my thermometer/hygrometer and am just amazed how we survive these San Diego winters! Ric]
Click to expand...

You sir, are a cruel man... :drool:
 
Hey Doc, looks like the ones I make using glitter tubes (I like those because they fit between the strings in the sound hole perfectly).

BTW, it takes only a tiny amount of crystals (I use the soil moist stuff) - if those holes are 1/16" I can tell you something that works amazing - leave the humidifiers soaking in water overnight, or even for several days. The excess crystal will squeeze out through the holes, leaving only exactly as much crystal as it takes to completely fill the container when they are fully hydrated. When you do this the crystals will actually "disappear" when they are completely full of water - the tubes will look like they are just full of water, but it won't drip or shake out. This is the way the humidifiers hold the most water and last the longest between fillings.

Doc_J said:
Finally turned on the heat in November here. And got the humidifiers ready. Remember to humidify, if you heat your house. Use a hygrometer to check the RH. I humidify at 40% RH or lower.

Here's my humidifiers, costing less than 20 cents each. I prefer a quality polymer, non-sodium based crystals, used in cigar humidifiers, about 1/2 a teaspoon per bottle.

attachment.php
attachment.php
Click to expand...
 
ricdoug said:
I just took a photo of my thermometer/hygrometer and am just amazed how we survive these San Diego winters! Ric

SanDiegoWinter.jpg
Click to expand...

Why is it so cold in San Diego? You must have been running you Air Conditioner again.
 
OldePhart said:
Hey Doc, looks like the ones I make using glitter tubes (I like those because they fit between the strings in the sound hole perfectly).

BTW, it takes only a tiny amount of crystals (I use the soil moist stuff) - if those holes are 1/16" I can tell you something that works amazing - leave the humidifiers soaking in water overnight, or even for several days. The excess crystal will squeeze out through the holes, leaving only exactly as much crystal as it takes to completely fill the container when they are fully hydrated. When you do this the crystals will actually "disappear" when they are completely full of water - the tubes will look like they are just full of water, but it won't drip or shake out. This is the way the humidifiers hold the most water and last the longest between fillings.
Click to expand...

Yep, John, it should look familiar I used your design. I just happened to have a lot med bottle around and a good 1/16 inch drill bit. It is amazing how little dry crystals it takes.

I just put 1 humidifier in each case near the headstock. It's been working fine all last winter.
 
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Anyone know if there's such a thing as a talking hygrometer?

Failing that, how do you gauge the humidity and humidify accordingly?

Lack of reliability in these matters is one of my excuses for not having a solid wood uke. :eek:
 
peaceweaver3 said:
Anyone know if there's such a thing as a talking hygrometer?

Failing that, how do you gauge the humidity and humidify accordingly?

Lack of reliability in these matters is one of my excuses for not having a solid wood uke. :eek:
Click to expand...

Are you blind? I'm not being a smart-aleck - I have a very good friend who is blind and I know he relies on things like talking watches and the voice features of his iPhone. I don't know of a talking hygrometer but if anybody would know he or one of the folks in his blind support groups would. Do you want me to ask him?

John
 
peaceweaver3 said:
Anyone know if there's such a thing as a talking hygrometer?

Failing that, how do you gauge the humidity and humidify accordingly?

Lack of reliability in these matters is one of my excuses for not having a solid wood uke. :eek:
Click to expand...

I've got a low cost hygrometer ($5) that I throw in the case occasionally to check RH. It is a slow response gauge so it has the in-case reading indicated for a while after opening the case.
 
You might want to get a hygrometer that you can calibrate using the salt test. Been through several of the cheap non calibrate types that were way off.
 
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So...you put the Soil Moist in a bottle that you've drilled small holes in? Then you put the bottle in the case?
Might this help my older uke? Is there any need to do this for my Makala Dolphin?
I see our house is showing 30% humidity.
 
I just got the stuff to make mine. My poor uke had suffered a bit due to low humidity. All better now.
 
Normagal said:
So...you put the Soil Moist in a bottle that you've drilled small holes in? Then you put the bottle in the case?
Might this help my older uke? Is there any need to do this for my Makala Dolphin?
I see our house is showing 30% humidity.
Click to expand...

If you have newer Dolphin its body is plastic. Wouldn't worry too much about it...
 
Normagal said:
So...you put the Soil Moist in a bottle that you've drilled small holes in? Then you put the bottle in the case?
Might this help my older uke? Is there any need to do this for my Makala Dolphin?
I see our house is showing 30% humidity.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's how you do it. If you use 1/16" holes it works out where you can just drop the humidifiers in a jar of water and leave them sit for days. The extra crystals will ooze out the holes leaving exactly the right amount to fill the container - meaning it will hold the maximum amount of water. If you're using a clear container (I use clear glitter tubes after my grandkids have used up the glitter) it will actually look like it's just full of water when just the right amount of crystals are in it.

I made enough humdifiers that I can keep one set in the jar of water and then just swap out the humidifiers in all of my cases at once.

I have just recently begun experimenting with using a few drops of tea tree oil in the water jar to keep the humidifiers from growing any fungus or anything like that.


A Dolphin shouldn't need a humidifier.
 
ksiegel said:
I buy "Soil Moist" at my local garden shop. Same stuff, about $17 for what looks to be a lifetime supply for me and several of my friends.

For bottles, I use old medication bottles and film cans.

Ive got them in every case except the Banjo Ukes (not hard cases).


-Kurt​
Click to expand...

This may sound like a silly question, but should there be a humidifier in all uke cases whether hard or soft? I don't have a hygrometer but I'm certain my house is dry... it IS winter in Ohio. :) Seriously, I would like to know it the type of case matters.
 
Jinxi said:
This may sound like a silly question, but should there be a humidifier in all uke cases whether hard or soft? I don't have a hygrometer but I'm certain my house is dry... it IS winter in Ohio. :) Seriously, I would like to know it the type of case matters.
Click to expand...

Gig bags and the "hard foam" canvas and styrofoam cases tend to lose moisture even more rapidly than hard cases - you definitely should use a humidifier in them for ukes with solid tops (laminate ukuleles are pretty rugged).

John
 
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