Because it's cold and dry

[stevejay]

http://jamiebobamie.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/winter-care-and-feeding-of-your-guitar-or-mandolin/

Thought I'd pass this along. Here in MA it's getting colder and dry. I am thinking about what I will put in my Eastman's case so it doesn't get buzzed or crack-up.:whistling:

[Jim Garber]

Search for posts about humidifiers in these forums. IIRC the consensus is to humidify your whole house or at least the room your instruments are in. Opt for the whole house since it would help you to be humidified as well -- central heating will dries out all living things and prob is responsible for our getting more colds and other ailments during the winter months.

I have a forced air heating and I just got a $100 or so Sears humidifier which I position in my hallway right near the intake vent to our heating system. I keep a hygrometer and check to see if I can keep it close to at least 50%.

Internal case or soundhole humidifiers are all right but for those of us with even a few instruments keeping the living environment humidified is prob better.

[Folkmusician.com]

Humidifying the hole house or at least the room, really is the way to go. It is not as difficult as it sounds. I fill our shop humidifier once per day and we have to clean it now and then and change the filters here and there. For the most part it is no worse than taking out the trash. :) We use a home humidifier rated for 2500 sq ft which is about right for the 1500 sq ft shop. We go through a few gallons per day to maintain 45-50% RH.

[Marty Jacobson]

Just be glad you don't have to dehumidify! I pull 20 gallons of water (and fair amount of fine dust) out of the air in my shop every day to keep it at 45% RH. Maybe 5 gallons a day in the winter.

[Clockwork John]

I find that large, open top aquariums make great room/house humidifiers. I have a 72 gallon in the living room and a 65 gallon in the room where I keep my instruments. They each lose a gallon or two to evaporation each day. The whole house stays at 35-60% RH year round, even when it hits 112 degrees and 0.5% RH outside.

[Goodin]

Just be glad you don't have to dehumidify! I pull 20 gallons of water (and fair amount of fine dust) out of the air in my shop every day to keep it at 45% RH. Maybe 5 gallons a day in the winter.

Wow that's alot! What pint size dehumidifier do you use?