Don't let those mandolins get thirsty

**B381** · Nov-30-2019, 10:03pm

With our youngest bringing home a cold into the house last week and it going through every member of the family, I have been running the aroma humidifier thing daily. Now I live in the South, known for humidity in the summer but the gas heat pack seems to dry things out in the winter even if it doesn't feel that way.

Over the past week the sound of my mando has been great! I think the thing was thirsty.

Remember the heat dries out the air, help 'em out.

**Mandobart** · Dec-01-2019, 1:24am

The heat doesn't dry out the air (it doesn't actually remove moisture). It lowers the relative humidity because warmer air is capable of holding more water, so in order to keep the RH the same you have to add water. Alternately, remember (next summer) that air conditioning actually dries out the air because it does remove moisture (that's what the condensation on your cooling coil is). Get a hygrometer or three. Humidify as needed. I aim for 40% to 50% here on the dry side of the Cascades.

**Eric Platt** · Dec-01-2019, 8:40am

Yup. Got my humidifiers out and in each instrument case right when the first cold snap hit around here.

**bradlaird** · Dec-01-2019, 8:58am

Just a week or two ago I did a podcast on this very subject. Enjoy!

http://www.bradleylaird.com/podcast/...how-notes.html

**bratsche** · Dec-01-2019, 12:56pm

Originally Posted by Mandobart

The heat doesn't dry out the air (it doesn't actually remove moisture). It lowers the relative humidity because warmer air is capable of holding more water, so in order to keep the RH the same you have to add water. Alternately, remember (next summer) that air conditioning actually dries out the air because it does remove moisture (that's what the condensation on your cooling coil is). Get a hygrometer or three. Humidify as needed. I aim for 40% to 50% here on the dry side of the Cascades.

In my S. Florida house, it's impossible to get the humidity below 60% in the summer, even with the AC running full time. In the master bedroom, which somehow is the most humid room and even worse, we have to dehumidify for 3 hours each evening in order to sleep well.

bratsche