Nightmare

[pigpen]

Any of you guys got any experience with water damaged cigars ??
Neighbours builder managed to go through a water main yesterday and then didn’t tell anyone. MLW spots the cellar has 6 inches of water in and it had started to get into the bottom shelf of my cabinet. Fortunately only looks to have affected around four boxes and she managed to save them before they were completely destroyed.
Trying to dry them out a bit before putting them in a loc and loc with couple of Bovedas to stabilise the humidity. Bottom of the cabinet it soaked and am not sure if it will be ok to use once it has dried out.
Gutted


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ha_banos]

Oh no! Terrible luck! I'd guess those 4 boxes are gonners! They were soaking for a while. Surely you can put a claim in with the builders? Or would you need to claim on yours?

I don't have any experience of this.

[PeeJay]

Apparently cat litter with the blue bits removed is good for absorbing moisture

[pigpen]

Frustratingly, they weren’t under water but just being lapped by it. The temtation is to try and save some of them although the insurance will pay out for new boxes and I will insist a new replacement humidor cabinet. The four unopened boxes that went were two 10 boxes of LGC Italian regionals ( can’t imagine being able to replace like for like and two of the hoyo range , Rio Seco and San Juan ?.) Just been on the Cgars sight to price up replacement and works out to be over. £1000 in uk prices to replace those boxes. MLW looked at me as if I was bonkers when she saw the cost of some of these sticks.
On a side note had thought about the cat litter option.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Simon Bolivar]

I might be wrong but I believe the cat litter with the blue bits in will have a strong aroma, probably even after the blue bits are removed, as it's to cover the smell of cat pee! I believe you can buy just white bags & they are odour free. Or put a mesh bag dried rice in. Smell is always the worst enemy, even a damp smell isn't nice for your cigars.

[Hookmaker]

The 4 boxes: is it only the boxes that were touched/wet or also the cigars themselves?
The cabinet: is the whole bottom of the cabinet wet?

If the cigars haven’t been touched then take them out and let the boxes dry to stone dry, otherwise mold will grow.
The cabinet I would certainly empty and dry completely otherwise mold will grow and eventually and potentially spread to your collection.
Damn - sorry to hear mate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[oskihen]

Another reason although they aren't visually appealing, you can't beat scubas for cigar storage

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[pigpen]

The 4 boxes: is it only the boxes that were touched/wet or also the cigars themselves?
The cabinet: is the whole bottom of the cabinet wet?

If the cigars haven’t been touched then take them out and let the boxes dry to stone dry, otherwise mold will grow.
The cabinet I would certainly empty and dry completely otherwise mold will grow and eventually and potentially spread to your collection.
Damn - sorry to hear mate


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The boxes got wet on one surface and that affected some of the cigars in each box. I am in the process of drying those out and also the boxes etc separately.
The humidor was just the bottom shelf and ALL my cigars have been removed and rehoused( in ziplock bags with bovedas. The humidor is drying out but I am uncomfortable about ever using it again given it has been in contact with dirty water. I don’t want to take the risk of ever using it again. I will definately be pushing my neighbours insurance company for a replacement of the cigars and the humidor ....I don’t see why I should bear the consequences of something that wasn’t my fault regardless of the cost to the neighbours insurance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tomm783]

You’re insurance covers cigars? Who you with?

Sorry to hear it’s really unfortunate mate

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kickback]

Put the cigars in a bag of rice. Will dry them out without affecting flavour/smell.
Definitely try and claim or at least speak to you neighbour about the issue.

[Pleevy]

Wouldn't some dry old Boveda bags work well to absorb excess moisture?

I would be making a claim against the builders insurance, providing they have it!