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Sadly, humidor leak is one situation that can’t be noticed easily because you will not observe or hear the air when it is leaking out from your humidor. So, you might be wondering how you will know if there is anything wrong with your humidor. In this article, we would be taking you through the basic steps to easily diagnose any leak in your humidor and how it can be fixed. Also, you could consider getting a new humidor, or you could make one yourself. If you are looking to make your humidor, you can check out How To Make A Humidor?. You must always check up on your cigar collection frequently because you can always notice earlier if you have a leaking humidor. People who don’t frequently check up on their cigar collection and humidor are always late to notice any leakage. It can be difficult to ascertain the cause of leakage in your humidor, so the earlier you figure out the cause, the more time you have to save your cigars from losing moisture.
Humidor leak and causes
Leakages in your humidor can happen randomly and can’t be predicted. It may happen right before you open the box. Most times, you might need to add a suitable activator solution to your humidor. For more understanding of how a cigar humidor solution works, then check out What Is A Cigar Humidor Solution?. But, if you notice your humidor does not hold up to 70% humidity, it is possible you have a leak in your humidor. In a recent survey conducted, it was noticed that glass top cigar humidors have the highest rate of losing humidity caused by a leaking humidor, and this happens mainly if there is a change in the weather condition.
Regardless if you have a new humidor or not, there are two methods to help you easily locate the source of the leak, and they are the dollar bill test and flashlight test method.
Dollar bill test
The dollar bill test method is highly recommended for desktop humidors because it is easier to use than the travel humidor. Below is a breakdown of the steps you will need to follow to enable you to carry out the dollar bill test easily on your humidor.
Get a dollar note and make sure it is very flat
Place half of the dollar note inside the humidor and close it, with you holding the other half outside with your hands.
Drag the dollar bill slowly out from the other half, which you are holding with your hand.
If you easily get the dollar bill out, there is a huge possibility you have a bad seal.
You should also repeat this procedure on every side of the humidor to ensure there is even distribution.
Normally, the dollar bill should not be difficult to pull out, but this test is to determine if there is a problem with the lid. If the dollar bill comes out easily, then the air can also easily escape.
Flashlight test
The flashlight test can also be done after the dollar bill test to help you have more accuracy of your humidor leakage and where the leak is coming from. Below are the procedures you need to follow to help you carry out this experiment.
Get a flashlight or a mobile device that has one.
You have to dim the lights of the room where you are
You will have to start moving the flashlight around the humidor from top to bottom.
If you notice any light passing through the humidor to the other side, then it means there is a leak in your humidor, and that is the source.
Fixing the leak
After locating the leak in your humidor, then comes a very important question, is it easier to fix the leak or to get a new humidor. Once you decide fixing your humidor is easier and cheaper, you will need to apply food-grade silicone on the cracks. There are different methods available, but this is the best, and it will only take a few days to cure. Below are the procedures to follow if you want to fix your humidor leak.
Get a non-toxic silicone that is also odorless
In the tupperdor or Ziploc bag, place the cigars inside for temporary storage
You will have to seal the leak on your humidor from the interior because it might not be effective and might spoil the look of your humidor
Allow the silicone to dry on your humidor, and you might need to wait for about three days.
Then you will have to put back the hygrometer and humidification for at least 24 hours or until the humidity level reaches 70%
You can’t place your cigars back inside your humidor
Conclusion
This article has discovered ways to help you figure out if your humidor is leaking and how to fix the leakage. We hope you find this article helpful and have decided to fix the leakage in your humidor instead of getting a new one. If your cigars have lost moisture and you need to rehydrate them, then you can check out How To Rehydrate Cigars?‘.