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by David P. Diaz, Ed.D.
Fed up with having to swap out the foam or sponge humidifiers in your humidor because they're no longer effective or have developed mold? The past 8 years have introduced newer hi-tech products that have become popular as humidification devices: I'm talking about silica gel, popularly called "Humidity Beads," and superabsorbent polymers. A humidifier is a device that is placed inside a humidor to emit moisture into the air and wood of the box. These can come in two types: active and passive. Our discussion today is centered on the so-called passive humidifier, which is usually a piece of sponge or foam that is placed into a cassette made of plastic or metal and placed into the humidor. Below: "The Puck-ifier" Silica Gel Humidifier There are several weaknesses in using foam or sponges as humidifying elements. Since they are so porous, they pick up the byproducts of fermentation in your box, like ammonia, which clogs the humidifier and reduces its functionality and shelf life. This type of humidifier will also pick up impurities in water, which will negatively affect its capacity. Finally, these porous materials serve as a natural breeding ground for mold and fungus and need to be carefully treated for prevention of the fuzz. Sponges and foam must be replaced on a regular basis, approximately every year or so. Recently, a few synthetic products have been modified for use as passive humidifiers. Silica gel and superabsorbent polymers are two products that have tremendous potential to help us better preserve our stogies. Silica Gel Silica gel is not new. It's been around for many years. It was patented in 1919 for use in the adsorption of vapors in gas mask canisters in World War I. It was first recommended for use in museums as a buffering agent to control relative humidity (RH) as far back as 1959. The current form of silica gel that is used for cigar humidor applications is a moisture-sensitive material that absorbs and desorbs moisture in order to offset changes in RH. The goal is to create a microclimate in the humidor that is suitable for the proper aging and storing of cigars. Silica gel has been used successfully in art galleries to regulate the humidity levels inside display cases with precious art. Since the gel can regulate humidity by adsorbing and desorbing water, it can be adapted for use as a humidification agent in helping you keep your cigars fresh. The beads come pre-treated from the retailer and you simply need to add distilled water as prescribed. These "silica" beads will last for 10 years or more and, at less than one dollar per year, represent a real bargain. You can buy pre-humidified beads preset to 65% or 70% RH. I have reviewed the silica gel "Humidity beads" that are sold by Heartfelt Industries. You can find this review in the Stogie Fresh Cigar Journal. Superabsorbent Polymers Superabsorbent Polymers, as the name suggests, absorbs water. Lots of it. The polymer beads will soak up 400-500 times their weight in fluid and will also release that fluid, helping to regulate humidity. Below: Superabsorbent polymers, dry and wet Polymers have had many industrial used over the years. They have been used in agriculture to prevent erosion and conserve water. They have even been used in diapers! I have retrofitted my foam type humidifiers, both active and passive, by removing the foam and replacing with polymers. The polymers are clean and efficient and work well as a humidifier. Like silica gel, the polymers have a very long shelf life and are very inexpensive, a one-pound bag will last you a lifetime. Comparison There is no perfect humidifier. Both silica gel and superabsorbent polymers have their respective strengths and weaknesses. Below, I give my list of the relative values of each media type. Click on button to Expand Chart: Silica Gel is very easy to use, though you must use the correct amount for the size of your humidor. Heartfelt industries has a helpful Calculator and Chart. There is no chart that I am aware of for how much of the superabsorbent polymers to use. Since the polymers expand greatly, you should be able to reduce the amount vs silica gel by 1/3 to 1/2. Both Silica Gel and Superabsorbent Polymers should last you for many years. Silica Gel is mold resistant when you use distilled water only. You should not use propylene glycol (PG) or other humidity mixtures with Silica Gel. This will impair the adsorption/desorption qualities of the beads. On the other hand, Polymers may develop mold if you use only water as the moisturizing agent. I recommend mixing in a small amount of a PG humidifier mixture to prevent mold growth. If mold does develop, just toss the Polymers and mix up a new batch. You will find my recipe for mixing Polymers at the end of this article. Although both Silica Gel and Polymers have the ability to adsorb and desorb moisture, in my experience, Silica Gel works best when ambient temperature and humidity are within temperate ranges. Warm, dry summertime conditions and/or the use of home air conditioning systems wick moisture out of the beads and they dry quickly. Superabsorbent Polymers, on the other hand, work best when more moisture is needed in warm, dry conditions. When humidity levels are high, Silica Gel is better at reclaiming excess moisture, while Polymers tend not to adsorb as efficiently when humidity levels are high. David Diaz is the president of Stogie Fresh and the editor of the Stogie Fresh Cigar Journal. He has served as an educator, researcher and writer and has taught in the Health Education and Health Science field for nearly 30 years. He possesses an earned doctorate from Nova Southeastern University.