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TOBACCOOUTLETBUSINESSJANUARYFEBRUARY201124TOBAfteransweringthousandsofquestionsfromhundredsofcustomersovertheyearsVigilantInc.awoodworksandhumidormanufacturerinDoverNewHampshiredecidedtoshareitscigar-storageknowledgeonitsWebsiteVigilantInc.com.HereisanexcerptofsomeoftheQAsontheWebsitethattobaccoretailerscanpotentiallylearnfromandthenpassontotheircustomersacigarweremoresophisticatedandknowledgeablethanIwas.Igotdraggedintothe21stcenturyofcigarskickingandscreamingbutitwaswellworthit.Giordanowantstobaccooutletretailerstounderstandthattheydonothavetobuy2000humidorslikeEmersondidtobetop-notchinhumidicationorincigarsalesforthatmatter.Wehavedesktoppoint-of-salehumidorsthatcanrunbetween50and100theycanstartwiththathesays.QualityImportersalsomanufacturescoeetablehumidorsforuseintheincreasinglypopularcigarloungesaswellashumidorsthatcanbeadjustedwiththeshelvesangledforwardandthedooraccessedonlybytheclerkforbehind-the-counterregulations.Nomatterwhichtypeofboxisuseditisimperativethathumidicationissetandmonitoredproperly.TemoresophisticateddigitalsystemssuchastheHydraandHygroSetsystemsnowoercigarpurveyorsofalllevelsmoreprecisecontrol.LasiodermaserricorneCigarsareaffectedbylighttemperaturehumidityandfriction.Cigarsshouldneverbeexposedtoultravioletlightespeciallydirectly.Lightwillbleachthecigarwrappermakingitlesselasticandmorelikelytotearorrip.Directlightwillalsolikelyraisethetemperatureinahumidor.TemperatureisanimportantfactorincigarstoragefortworeasonsItaffectshumidityandhighertemperaturesmaymaketobaccobeetlesactiveallowingthemtodevourcigars.Trytoavoidtemperaturesabove75degreesFahrenheitinahumidor.HumiditylevelsrelatetotemperaturethusthetermrelativehumidityRH.Mostpeopleprefercigarsatabout70percentRHhowevercigarswillnotbeharmedatlevelsrangingbetween65percentand75percentRH.Warmairhasahighermoisturecapacitythancoldair.Allhygrometersmeasurethemoisturecontentoftheairatagiventemperature.IfyouchangethetemperatureinanenclosedspacewithoutchangingtheamountofmoisturetheRHwillchange.Frictionwillcausemoredamagetocigarsthanmostoftheotherfactors.Whenloosecigarsaremovedtheycanbecomescuffedrubbedandjostledsothatthewrappertears.Onceatearstartsitshardtostophoweverthereareseveralvegetable-basedadhesivesonthemarketthatwillrepairsmallwrappertears.Betterknowntoentomologistsasthetobaccobeetlestrikesfearintheheartsofcigarsmokers.Beetleinfestationhappenswhencigarsarerolled.WhilecigarmanufacturershavemadetremendousstridesinghtingthetobaccobeetlewithpesticidesandorganicmethodstheresachancethatyourcigarespeciallyifitsCubanwillhavebeetlelarvaerolledintoit.Thelarvaeremaindormantandareundetectableuntiltheybecomeactiveanddecidetoeattheirwayoutofyourcigar.Exposingyourcigarstotemperaturesof80degreesFahrenheitforextendedperiodsoftimemorethanaweekortwoat70percentRHcancreatetheconditionsforthelarvaetohatch.Thebeetleusuallymakesitsexistenceknownbythedestructionitleavesbehindthecarnagemaybetinypinholesinthewrapperorvisiblechannelsalongtheexteriorofthecigarorsmallpiecesoftobaccolitteringthearea.Ifyourecognizebeetleinfestationyoullneedtofreezeyourcigarsimmediatelyorrisklosingtheentirecollection.Iftheouterwrapperisintactyouhaveachancetogetyourcigarbacktogoodsmokingcondition.Italsodependsuponhowlongthecigarsweredryandwhattemperaturestheyweresubjectedto.Regardlessitsworthatrytosavealmostanygoodcigar.WhetheritwillreturnfullyQWhataretheidealconditionsforcigarstorageAQWhataretobaccobeetlesandhowdoyoucombatthemAQCandried-outcigarsbesalvagedAHUMIDITYHOMEWORK