Watch your humidity levels

[Hokiebob]

I live in the Middle Atlantic region and our first true cold wave of the winter is firmly in place.
With that the relative humidity in my house has fallen off a cliff. It was under 30% yesterday morning.
Therefore, I have moved my guitars into my bedroom where it is easier to add humidity than in my open floor plan living area.
My room humidifier is humming along nicely and my guitars & the furniture as well as our sinuses, skin & hair are enjoying 45% humidity.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I'm in Southern England and last winter I was too ill to monitor the RH in my guitar cases but I was aware that RH in my house had dropped to the 25% mark. I had lost so muvch weight that I felt cold all the time so the Central heating was on full 24/7.

My guitars did suffer. No cracks or anything but the action was awry and loads of buzzing. I still have two in the shop being sorted out (I hope).

This year, I am stronger and able to lift the cases down and check the hygrometers. I have small hydrators in the sound holes, and sop dishes with waterbeads in the cases. They were about 50% until recently, but about 45% most recently.

In the UK we only usually have RH issues in winter when we have our doors and windows closed, but my wife is a fresh air fiend and as long as it isn't raining or snowing she'll have the windows open in the mornings.

[RNF]

I live in New England. The other day the family room was 2%! (not usually that bad, it was like 2 degrees F outside. I left the guitar in the case that day) I've been regulating humidity in the case rather than the room/whole house. I've never bothered with this with my other guitars. (Martin & Gibson) My thinking was, it's a guitar. Its meant to be played, just let it be. I would pay attention to temperature and rapid temperature change only, and never observed any visible issues.

Now that I've bought a CJ, I've been monitoring humidity inside the case. I've noticed that the thing rarely goes out of tune, and the tone is very consistent. After playing I immediately return it to the case. I also used a desiccant last summer in the same fashion. I've gathered that Collings are built pretty solidly. Is there anyone out there that doesn't pay attention to the humidity? Have you noticed issues? How important is this to the health of the guitar?
Thanks

[12Frets]

Several years ago I had to travel for business, and while I was gone the temperatures dropped considerably, causing the heater to run continuously in the little garage apartment were I had a Collings 0001A and an 0002 hanging from side-by-side wall hangers. I live in Houston where I usually worry about dehumidification if I think about it at all. The room dried out and I came home to identical cracks down from the bridge to the lower edge of both guitars. Broke my heart.

I still have the 0001A and it plays as well as ever. But it's still a painful memory.