Humidifier/Room Size

[stefeb]

Thought I'd jump in on the humidification discussion, since I live in the NE, and am having trouble keeping the RH at 45%.

My living room is not large by any means, but during the dead of winter the digital readout on my Sears 5 gal. humidifier never gets above 25%. Today, for instance, the outside time is 35, and the digital readout is showing 39%. I made due last year, but would like to improve the RH this winter.

Would adding another humidifier to the living room help to maintain an RH of 45%?

If not, I was thinking of moving the humidifier, and mandolin to my bedroom, which is much smaller. But, is it safe to store the mandolin in a humidified environment, and then take it into a practically dry environment (living room) to play?

Playing time would be maybe an hour or two at time. I just don't know if moving the mandolin from a "wet" to dry environment is a good thing.

As always, thanks in advance.

[J. Mark Lane]

In my most humble (and sadly informed by experience) opinion --

a) 25 is too low. You will hurt your instruments, unless they are made of plywood.

b) I'm not sure what humidifier you have, but a "five gallon" model is small for a living room. Humidifiers are usually "measured" (advertised) not by how much water they hold, but by how much they are capable of putting into the air during a 24 hours period. And that standard is, I think, in "ideal conditions" (whatever that might mean).

For my living room, I have a 16 gallon Sears console humidifier. It's a pita, and it's noisey, but it certainly is capable of keeping the entire downstairs (small house) at 40% without any problem. In the dead of a dry winter, you have to fill it every day. It holds about six gallons between the two canisters inside it. So it is easily putting six gallons into the air each day. I doubt that your smaller humidifier is doing that. ??

c) I don't think it hurts an instrument to move from a humidified storage area to a drier area to play. I think it is possible to be overly neurotic about this stuff. If the instrument is mostly stored in a humidified area (not generally left in a drier room more than a day or so at a time), I would think it should be fine.

What you really need is a dedicated music room. Throw one of the kids out of the house and take over the bedroom. Priorities, man, priorities.

Mark

[Jim Hilburn]

I finally broke down and got a $140 hygrometer for my shop. Before, I had 3 cheapies that never agreed with each other, but now I see I'm running from the low to mid 40's.
The point is, you may not be getting an accurate reading unless you have a decent hygrometer.

[stefeb]

b) I'm not sure what humidifier you have, but a "five gallon" model is small for a living room. Humidifiers are usually "measured" (advertised) not by how much water they hold, but by how much they are capable of putting into the air during a 24 hours period.

Thanks, Mark. Just checked the specs for the humidifier I have. It's supposed to humidify up to 2500sq. ft. My living room certainly falls within those limits (my whole house does for that matter). Maybe a hygrometer is what I need to buy as suggesteed by Jim.

[John Flynn]

Two humidifiers, or a much bigger one, should work better than one small one and I am going to try that this season, because I have the same problem. I am sure an expensive calibrated hygrometer is best, but I looked at the specs on a so-called "calibrated" hygrometer for $166 and it only claims plus or minus 3%RH! The cheapie electronics claim plus or minus 5% and I have gotten them to that level of accuracy, using the calibration test at the link below. My issue is that I don't need a more accurate hygrometer to tell me my humidity is too low. I can have a room humidfier going 24/7 and it will still be too dry.

What works for me is: Bigger room humidifiers than the specs say you need. The box specs on room humidifiers are for personal comfort, not protecting instruments. I am going to at least double what the box says for a given room size. Next, it is much easier to control humidty in a case than in a room. I have calibrated hygrometers and sponge-type humidifiers in my cases. In the winter, I keep my instruments in the cases when I am not playing them.

http://www.theweatherstore.com/cayohy.html

[stefeb]

Well, I've decided to buy another room humidifier.

The hygrometer is a great idea, and I'm sure is a valuable thing to have, but if after purchasing it I find the RH to be too low, I still have to buy another humidifier.

So, rather than have two room humidifiers and a hygrometer, I've opted to have just two room humidifiers.

Thanks to all for your thoughtful responses.

[J. Mark Lane]

You need a hygrometer. Period. Otherwise, you will just be guessing at the rh. You need to kee the rh as constant as reasonably possible, between 35-55, generally in the lwo 40's is good. But without a hyrgrometer you will have no real ability to monitor it. It's $30 from Radio Snack.

Mark

[stefeb]

It's $30 from Radio Snack.

Aha, that's a price I can handle right now. Thanks for the info about Radio Shack.

[stefeb]

Okay. Last post from me on this subject. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Bought the Radio Shack hygrometer. $31, and change.

Digital readout on Sears humidifier - 32%
Reading on hygrometer - 40%

Probably will still have to get another humidifier when the cold weather really sets in, but I see now the value of the hygrometer.

Sometimes ya just gotta see http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif .

[J. Mark Lane]

Almost certainly the Radio Shack model is more accurate. Also note that the rh will vary slightly from point to point in the room -- and obviously, will tend to be a little higher right at the humidifier, as a general rule. I have several spread around. But one is probably all you really need to get a good idea of what's going on.

Mark