The Ultimate Guide on How to Maintain Weed Stash Humidity
Years ago, we were all storing our weed in plastic bags thrown in a drawer and as time passed, we would come to find our precious buds dried out after only a couple of days. Nowadays, things are very different — there’s a lot more information on how to stash weed to preserve its freshness and a variety of tools and methods to put that knowledge into practice.
Any cannabis connoisseur now knows that relative humidity is one of the critical factors that can make or break your experience. Luckily, there are a few simple guidelines to help you preserve the buds' specific aromas, flavors, and effects.
Whether you plan on splurging on that “special occasion” weed or keep a selection of strains on hand for different times of day, here’s how to manage your weed stash humidity and prevent its degradation.
How Does Humidity Impact Your Weed
The amount of water vapor present in the air compared to the amount of water that the air is capable of holding at a particular temperature is known as relative humidity (RH). Understanding the impact of RH on cannabis is the first step in learning the importance of humidity control.
Loss of Aroma and Potency
Terpenes are the aromatic essential oils that give cannabis strains their unique tastes and aromas. They are also responsible for moderating the effects you feel from any strain. If the humidity level is too low or too high, the trichomes that house these precious terpenes and cannabinoids will start breaking down. This means you’ll no longer feel the rich notes of your weed. Moreover, losing the essential terpenes and cannabinoids means the effectiveness of the weed will start to decline, drastically reducing the weed’s medicinal benefits.
Prevent Contamination
While an arid climate can damage the valuable active components in cannabis, an excessively moist environment will encourage a slew of pests into your stash. Mold and bacteria, for example, thrive on cannabis under certain conditions, mainly when the relative humidity (RH) is too high.
Contamination can cause unpleasant aromas and flavors. Beyond that, contaminants can be harmful to people who use cannabis as medication, especially if their immune system is already weakened. Patients with HIV/AIDS and cancer, for example, are more susceptible to diseases like aspergillosis, a potentially fatal lung disease caused by the consumption of molds like Aspergillus.
How To Control Humidity In Your Weed Stash
The ideal humidity for storing cannabis is generally between 55% and 65% RH. At this level, the evaporative loss that retains the buds’ original color, aroma, consistency, and flavor are mitigated. Anything higher than that raises the risk of mold, while a significantly lower relative humidity can cause trichomes to become brittle and dry.
So, when choosing where to stash weed, you need to have humidity in mind. In addition to choosing an air-tight container such as miron jars, you need to go one step further and determine how you’ll control humidity in your weed stash.
To make the best decision, think about how much weed you’re planning to store at a given moment. Another important aspect is determining how much money you’re willing to spend on a humidity-controlling device. There are a few solutions to consider.
Cannabis humidor boxes are a more expensive option, but they're a fantastic choice for those storing larger quantities of cannabis. The humidor boxes for weed are usually made of wood and come with built-in humidity systems that maintain the right level of humidity.
Humidifiers and dehumidifiers control the amount of moisture in the air where the cannabis is stored. A humidifier adds moisture to the atmosphere, whereas a dehumidifier absorbs it. If you go down this road, you'll need additional equipment to assist you in measuring the humidity in the air to control it more accurately.
What Are Humidity Packs and Why You Need Them
Humidity packs for weed are one of the most convenient solutions to keep humidity levels balanced. They contain a mixture of purified water and salt. The purified water vapor is then emitted through the pack’s membrane and absorbed continually to achieve the predetermined RH in the environment in which the pack is placed. When the humidity is depleted, the pack will become stiff. This happens gradually over the course of six to ten months as your weed absorbs the moisture, signaling it’s time to replace it.
Choosing The Right Humidity Pack
When choosing the best humidity packs for weeds, you may come across options with different humidity levels. The choice is often a matter of personal preference. Generally, 58% RH packs are ideal for preserving the weed for personal-use items in optimal condition. Moreover, humidity packs come in several different sizes. What size humidity pack for weed you’ll choose depends on the amount of cannabis you store and the container. The more weed you are storing and the larger the container is, the larger the pack you’ll need.
Finding The Perfect Balance
Maintaining weed stash humidity involves monitoring the ambient humidity and keeping the ideal RH level. Ambient humidity is what happens outside your cannabis container — it could be your bedroom, car, or the great outdoors. Because the air conditioner scrubs moisture from the air, humidity levels in air-conditioned houses are typically 30-50%. The humidity inside a heated home is often even lower.
The cannabis buds can lose a significant quantity of moisture throughout the time it takes to open and prepare cannabis for use if you don't have a suitable means to maintain humidity in your container.
Using cannabis humidity packs in the container helps you quickly restore moisture that has evaporated from the air and the plant. Humidity control packs can detect changes in ambient humidity and add or remove moisture to achieve a specific RH. This maintains the moisture content of your cannabis, preserving its original quality every time you use it.
The Bottom Line
Proper storage of cannabis is crucial if you want to enjoy your stash to its full extent. Humidity control is one of the most important factors for preserving the flavor and potency of the weed, while also protecting it from contamination. Humidity packs are the most popular option thanks to their convenience and cost-effectiveness. They are available in different sizes and RH levels, so keep your personal preferences in mind when shopping.