Do I need to have a humidifier/dehumidifier
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Gary52
Well-known member
If your uke(s) is/are laminate, no. If you have solid wood instruments (or solid top), you should have a humidifier unless you live where the humidity in your house is fairly constant and above 40%. Forced-air heat in winter and air conditioning in summer will probably cause the humidity to be lower than that.
RafterGirl
Well-known member
I live in a dry climate with forced air heating in winter & AC in summer. I had a laminate uke with a wood fretboard that developed rough fret edges fairly quickly last summer without any humidity in the case. I now keep a humidifier in the case with my laminate uke.
Ok well, so far I haven't been controlling the humidity around my uke and haven't had adverse effects.
I don't know what to look for in order to know if it is not being stored properly.
if anyone knows the signs of bad humidity let me know
thanks
I don't know what to look for in order to know if it is not being stored properly.
if anyone knows the signs of bad humidity let me know
thanks
Our house is extremely drafty and the humidity drops a lot in the winter. When the heat runs, I keep my only all-solid instrument in a case with a humidifier. I have two others (my Islander and my KoAlana) with fretboards that shrink a little when the heat runs. I keep them in an unused wine chiller (fridge). It works wonders. Some laminates are more sensitive to humidity variation than others. My Kalas seem totally unaffected, as do my two MFCs with wooden fretboards.
Ok well, so far I haven't been controlling the humidity around my uke and haven't had adverse effects.
I don't know what to look for in order to know if it is not being stored properly.
if anyone knows the signs of bad humidity let me know
thanks
If you notice any buzzing, that could be a sign it's drying out too much. If your fret edges get rougher than normal, it's another sign. I'd make sure you keep the uke(s) away from a heat/air conditioning vent, because the air coming from your HVAC will be very dry.
twokatmew
Well-known member
This is the one problem I've had with my guitars over the years. Now that I play ukes, I've learned my lesson. I use Boveda 49% humidity packs in all instrument cases, even that of my Kala laminate concert.
Jerryc41
Well-known member
I've settled on the D'Addario system. The links below show both the complete product and the refills. It's sized for guitars, so I put just one in the sound hole and one under the head. I use the third pouch for another uke. What's nice about this product is that you don't have to do anything after you install it. If the air is dry, it releases moisture. If the air is too moist, it absorbs moisture. Although they say you must replace them, I've heard you can re-humidify them.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...DP5XN8pxJRy9kbO5vXqyjphzJxcPsC-BoCMv0QAvD_BwE
https://smile.amazon.com/DAddario-H...=8-3&keywords=d'addario+humidification+system
As for the laminate ukes, they're still made out of wood, so I keep a humidifier in my laminates, too.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...DP5XN8pxJRy9kbO5vXqyjphzJxcPsC-BoCMv0QAvD_BwE
https://smile.amazon.com/DAddario-H...=8-3&keywords=d'addario+humidification+system
As for the laminate ukes, they're still made out of wood, so I keep a humidifier in my laminates, too.
easycomeeasygo
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The humidity level in your home should be between 35% and 55%, with the 40-50% range as ideal. If you are able to get access to a hygrometer to measure your humidity, do so. These measuring instruments are not expensive and work like a thermometer. If you have any skin condition that tends towards dryness or if you and your family are experiencing a lot of colds and flu, the air in your home might be too dry. On the contrary, if moist or wet stains are present on walls or ceiling,
your room feels unpleasantly stuffy, windows are covered with condensation and musty odors exist, you need a dehumidifier.
Based on your conditions I recommend educate yourself on how to buy a proper humiditifier/dehumiditifier.
Here's one for humiditifiers: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/humidifiers/buying-guide
And one for dehumiditifiers: https://wisepick.org/best-quiet-dehumidifier
your room feels unpleasantly stuffy, windows are covered with condensation and musty odors exist, you need a dehumidifier.
Based on your conditions I recommend educate yourself on how to buy a proper humiditifier/dehumiditifier.
Here's one for humiditifiers: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/humidifiers/buying-guide
And one for dehumiditifiers: https://wisepick.org/best-quiet-dehumidifier
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Wood doesn't like to get dried out, especially solid wood. I've found the ideal humidifier (for me) - the D'Addario Humidipak. It's made for a guitar, so it's large, and it will do 1 1/2 ukes, so if you have a half a uke, you're all set.
It's basically three bags of moisture. I put one in the sound hole, one by the headstock, and one in a second uke. This is a set-it-and-forget-it type of thing. If the uke gets dry, it moisturizes. If there is too much humidity, it absorbs some. When they dry out, you can re-energize them by putting them into a ziplock bag with a damp sponge. Prices vary, and Boveda makes a similar product with a choice of humidity levels.
https://smile.amazon.com/DAddario-P...io+humidifier&qid=1555328006&s=gateway&sr=8-3
https://smile.amazon.com/Boveda-49-...io+humidifier&qid=1555328087&s=gateway&sr=8-8
I would suggest getting a hygrometer or two. I got a set of four for about $4.00 each. I found that the humidity was about the same in cases with and without the humidifiers - meaning even without the Humidipak, the humidity was around 49%.
How about 12 for $20?
https://smile.amazon.com/TAIWEI-Ele...=1555328236&s=gateway&sr=8-13#customerReviews
It's basically three bags of moisture. I put one in the sound hole, one by the headstock, and one in a second uke. This is a set-it-and-forget-it type of thing. If the uke gets dry, it moisturizes. If there is too much humidity, it absorbs some. When they dry out, you can re-energize them by putting them into a ziplock bag with a damp sponge. Prices vary, and Boveda makes a similar product with a choice of humidity levels.
https://smile.amazon.com/DAddario-P...io+humidifier&qid=1555328006&s=gateway&sr=8-3
https://smile.amazon.com/Boveda-49-...io+humidifier&qid=1555328087&s=gateway&sr=8-8
I would suggest getting a hygrometer or two. I got a set of four for about $4.00 each. I found that the humidity was about the same in cases with and without the humidifiers - meaning even without the Humidipak, the humidity was around 49%.
How about 12 for $20?
https://smile.amazon.com/TAIWEI-Ele...=1555328236&s=gateway&sr=8-13#customerReviews
Here in the middle of the continental US, commonly called the "Midwest", the temperatures and humidities vary all over the place. From summer highs of 95°F (35°C) with 90+% RH; to -38°F (-39°C) and 19% RH this past winter. (Does not include wind chill.) There is a narrow time in the spring and fall where the furnaces and air conditioners are not running. But the pollens, dusts and molds can shut those windows in a hurry.
My wife asked me if we should be worried about radon in our basement? I told her our home is old and drafty enough that it wasn't a problem. (It was also tested.) So, a lot also depends upon how sealed your house is. How much air is exchanged with the outside.
Watching the humidity in the house is something done year round. I don't obsess about it. I generally keep it between 36 and 45%. The norm is about 38%. I made sure all of the ukes came down from about 50% last year slowly to the 38% this year. So far, they seem quite content with that. Nary a sharp fret end in the bunch.
My wife asked me if we should be worried about radon in our basement? I told her our home is old and drafty enough that it wasn't a problem. (It was also tested.) So, a lot also depends upon how sealed your house is. How much air is exchanged with the outside.
Watching the humidity in the house is something done year round. I don't obsess about it. I generally keep it between 36 and 45%. The norm is about 38%. I made sure all of the ukes came down from about 50% last year slowly to the 38% this year. So far, they seem quite content with that. Nary a sharp fret end in the bunch.
hoosierhiver
Well-known member
Where do you live?, that makes a huge difference.
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Right. Brazilian rain forest or the Atacama desert.
That's it, the living factor is very important. My friend lives in a humid climate and so that he doesn’t do a dehumidifier always works for him, otherwise he cannot fall asleep and begins to sweat constantly. Says that he has this model Afloia. Where I live dry and hot air, humidifiers are installed immediately in our homes during construction, I’ll try to learn more about them, but they are large and take up a lot of space, not many will do it.
You need to measure the humidity with the help of the device to understand what is happening with it in your house, everything is possible in the right way or in a separate room another humidity is normal, and in the rest it is normal.
You need to measure the humidity with the help of the device to understand what is happening with it in your house, everything is possible in the right way or in a separate room another humidity is normal, and in the rest it is normal.
I started to use a room humidifier, hot steam one, again in my living room where my ukes and guitars are kept too. It is good for them and to myself too.
Unfortunately my living in Finland is heated with central heating and temperature is always like 23C inside. So I don't need really that warming effect of a humidifier and I wish it was instead like 20 .. 21 C, but I can't do nothing about it. Because it is not yet winter, I keep the humidifier on only like in half a day. It will steam something like 5 liters of water daily now.
My electric bill will in the real winter be something like one third higher because of the humidifier, than without say in the summer.
Unfortunately my living in Finland is heated with central heating and temperature is always like 23C inside. So I don't need really that warming effect of a humidifier and I wish it was instead like 20 .. 21 C, but I can't do nothing about it. Because it is not yet winter, I keep the humidifier on only like in half a day. It will steam something like 5 liters of water daily now.
My electric bill will in the real winter be something like one third higher because of the humidifier, than without say in the summer.
Jarmo, if I've understood correctly, you are using a humidifier for only half of the day, at present. It vapourises five 5litres of water in that time. So in the winter, in full usage, it will be putting ten litres of water a day into the atmosphere within your home. I know nothing of the conditions, or of normal requirements, but those numbers seem very high to me. I wonder if I am the only one who finds it surprising?
John Colter.
John Colter.
My air intake comes from above the livingroom and bedroom windows. And it is of course very cold when it comes in, so it gets formed into very low RH humidity air as it expands up to such a warm temperature. Living in a multistore apartment building. One can of course reduce the size of the windows incomes, but then air will come from where it is supposed not to, despite being warmer.
The air goes out via from my kitchen, bathroom and clothesroom outlets, mechanically "sucked" for lack of better english term. The air change is quite large in volume. That makes something like 8 litres of water/24 hours be not so much. The humidity is still then much lower than in the summer.
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The steaming ones I understand consume more electricity/water as the steam gets all into the air all the way also upto ceiling, where it is not really needed. Mine is this:
https://www.allergiakauppa.fi/tuote/ilmankostutin-ufox-3-s/11034/
These types are really simple and allergy free. Just take a bucket of water, open the lid and pour in. My water is soft, so I clean it up maybe ones a month or two to get the mineral deposits away from the resistor.
Plus side is that they also warm up (which I don't need) and make any incoming cold breaths unnoticeable. These are also silent.
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I can definitely concur Jarmo's take on the subject as I live in Finland myself. During the winter (and also in autumn already), humidity can get really low inside. It all depends on where the replacement air comes from, how cold the air is, etc. I've actually been using the same kind of humidifier as Jarmo throughout last winter and now during the early autumn, and the humidity just kept going down immediately whenever the humidifier wasn't on. We just got new windows with air vents installed in our flat which immediately must've changed the airflow/air conditioning since now the humidity seems to be much more stable. But yeah, pumping vast amounts of vapor to keep indoor humidity in check is not that unusual in cold places such as here. Just remember to keep an eye on the actual humidity with a hygrometer.
