Humidifier & Dehumidifier In The Same Room

[Pura Vida]

Here's an interesting discussion topic for a Friday afternoon.

I'm currently running a large humidifier to prevent my RH from going too low. However, there are times, when the RH creeps up 5-7% for a few days, which can make some of my guitars sound a little murky. This mostly happens during the rainy season, but also during summer nights, when we run a house fan, which pulls cool, moist air into the house.

If I place a dehumidifier in the same room, assuming they are set to the same RH, would they eventually even out, holding at a more stable RH, and only one run at a time?

Does this sound like a good idea? Or am I just creating an expensive water transportation system?

[Steve DeRosa]

You didn't by any chance get this advice from Bob Womack's elves, did you...?

[gfspencer]

I've owned Martin guitars since 1963. I didn't worry about humidity levels until about five years ago. I never lost a guitar. Don't overthink relative humidity. If the humidity gets too high turn the humidifier off.

I run a humidifier in the winter and a dehumidifier in the summer . . . not at the same time.

[DesertTwang]

5-7% does jack squat to your guitars. And I bet the only reason they sound "murky" to you is because you glance at the hygrometer. In a blind test, you wouldn't hear any difference whatsoever.

Your scenario reminds me of what I sometimes see in my office: People running space heaters while it's 110 degrees outside. Only because the AC is blasting way too high.

So yes, you're creating an expensive water shuttling system that's hard on your wallet and the environment.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

I've owned Martin guitars since 1963. I didn't worry about humidity levels until about five years ago. I never lost a guitar....

The use of properly seasoned, air-dried woods - never lost a guitar/never will. if it's made right...

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

5-7% does jack squat to your guitars. And I bet the only reason they sound "murky" to you is because you glance at the hygrometer. In a blind test, you wouldn't hear any difference whatsoever.

What he said.

[KenL]

You could run the drain line from the dehumidifier to the humidifier and have a closed-loup maintenance-free system.

[The Bard Rocks]

You actually could do this if you were careful on the trigger settings of each. They must be in, ahem, relative harmony.

[guitar george]

Would this work?

Humidifier: Set to start when RH gets down to 40%, shut off @ 50%
Dehumidifier: Set to start when RH gets up to 60%, shut off & 50%

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

5-7% does jack squat to your guitars. And I bet the only reason they sound "murky" to you is because you glance at the hygrometer. In a blind test, you wouldn't hear any difference whatsoever.

Your scenario reminds me of what I sometimes see in my office: People running space heaters while it's 110 degrees outside. Only because the AC is blasting way too high.

So yes, you're creating an expensive water shuttling system that's hard on your wallet and the environment.

Two of the guitars are extremely sensitive to humidity and get the wet blanket syndrome easily. Another one is susceptible, but considerably less so.

BTW, you'd lose that bet. It's only when the guitars sound murky when I even glance at my RH levels. Most of the time it's fine, but when it's not, it's because the humidity has jumped.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by gfspencer

I've owned Martin guitars since 1963. I didn't worry about humidity levels until about five years ago. I never lost a guitar. Don't overthink relative humidity. If the humidity gets too high turn the humidifier off.

I run a humidifier in the winter and a dehumidifier in the summer . . . not at the same time.

I'm not worried about it. Just trying to think of a way to stabilize it.

For example, it's a warm, dry, windy day... so the RH is in the mid/upper 30s right now, but this morning, it was 55%. So, that's a 15-20% swing in 12 hours, which could have been reduced by 1/3 to 1/2 with a dehumidifier.

What made you have a change of heart five years ago?

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

You actually could do this if you were careful on the trigger settings of each. They must be in, ahem, relative harmony.

Yeah, that was really the point of my thread. It seems like it would work, but wasn't sure if anyone actually tried it.

Originally Posted by guitar george

Would this work?

Humidifier: Set to start when RH gets down to 40%, shut off @ 50%
Dehumidifier: Set to start when RH gets up to 60%, shut off & 50%

Most run until they reach their desired levels. So, I was thinking of keeping my humidifier at 50% (it actually reads high, so it's 45% in the room), and then set the dehumidifier 5% higher in an attempt to reach a more constant equilibrium.

If it goes higher, then the dehumidifier goes to work. If it goes lower, then the humidifier runs, as it does today.

[Pura Vida]

Sorry for the multiple responses. Just wanted to say thanks to all those who responded. It's finally warming up here, so this probably won't be something I consider until the rains return this fall. My RH is slightly low or on target during the dry season.

[tomiv9]

I suppose you could set the humidifier to 40% and the dehumidifier to 50% or so. They prob makw an all in one unit that does that. It would keep right between those two numbers. But it seems like 1 or the other would constantly be going in to maintain that. Seems a bit excessive, but hey.

[martingitdave]

A dehumidifier is an air conditioner with the condenser in the room. You would be wasting enormous amounts of energy for no good reason. Get a new humidifier with a better humidistat. Or, split the different and lower the set point 3%. When it creeps it won't make that much difference. Perfectionism and humidity control don't coincide unless you are in a lab environment.


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