Have you noticed that when it gets colder outside, your throat gets scratchy and your skin gets dry? These side effects are often from low levels of humidity. Dry air also causes nosebleeds, dehydration, and irritates respiratory illnesses like allergies and asthma. How should you manage these unpleasant effects? You can take the following steps to increase the humidity in your home:

Seal any gaps and add weather stripping to your windows and doors. The cold outdoor air is extremely dry; when it gets inside your home, it compromises your humidity levels. Places where your heated air escapes provide entry points for dry air to infiltrate. Arm yourself with weather stripping and a caulking gun, and get ready to seal off any cracks or gaps. The better insulated your home is, the less cold air can get in (and the lower your utility bills will be). 

Purchase a hygrometer. Don’t play a guessing game when it comes to your air humidity levels - use a hygrometer to find the precise percentage! It’s recommended that you maintain a relative humidity of 30-50%. Setting up a hygrometer in your home will allow you to know exactly how moist your home’s air is. Remember, there is such a thing as too much humidity, which can cause mold growth; stay within the zone that the experts recommend.

Set up a humidifier. Control the humidity in your home with a humidifier; its purpose is self-explanatory. It diffuses water into the air to gradually increase the levels of moisture in your home. You can buy a couple of portable units and place them in the driest rooms, or purchase a whole-home humidifier to circulate moisture throughout the home. If you don’t want to pay any cash for a humidity-making machine, you can try leaving out large bowls of water in front of windows and let sunbeams evaporate the water.

Buy a few house plants. Want to add a green touch to your home? Purchase some real house plants and water them often. Their leaves and soil will hydrate the air. Plants can even remove impurities from the air, making your air more moist and cleaner. When the outside world is blanketed in a layer of white snow, it’s comforting to see leafy flowers and trees flourishing within your home.

Stay away from the oven. The intense heat from the oven can dry out the air - try to use the stove or microwave instead. One trick to increase humidity is to boil some water on the stove (and don’t cover it with a lid); the steam it emits will add moisture to the air. Putting some fruits and/or flowers into the boiling water will turn your humidity generator into an air freshener, as well. 

Hang wet clothes on an indoor clothesline. Before you move your clothes from the washing machine to the dryer, take a pause. Using your dryer for clothes can make the air drier. But when it’s freezing outside, an outdoor line will turn your clothes into icicles. Hang them on an indoor clothesline instead. It may take them longer to dry, but it will increase humidity, and save you money on energy bills.

Open the door when you shower and let your bathwater sit in the tub. This tip is only an option for you if your house is relatively private - your roommates or family members may not appreciate it. The steam from a shower collects in the bathroom when the door is closed, but left open, it can spread throughout your home. After taking a bath, leave the water in the tub to evaporate instead of draining it immediately. 

Stay on top of dusting and vacuuming. After you’ve sealed your home completely, you may be enjoying your warm and fully insulated household. This comes with one downside: polluted indoor air becomes trapped inside your home. Dust settles on your furniture and stays there, which can irritate allergies and dry out the air. You should take a more proactive approach to cleaning in the dry winter months. If you have carpets, vacuum them frequently, or try a steam cleaning treatment.

Don’t dry dishes in the dishwasher. Using your dishwasher is a convenient way to wash your dishes, and you can use the steam it produces to hydrate your home. Before the drying cycle of your appliance begins, power it down and open the door. Pull out each rack and allow your dishes to air dry while the steam fills the air. 

Drink lots of water. If you are having trouble increasing the moisture levels in your home, then make sure you are hydrating yourself. Drink several cups of water each day to alleviate some of the side effects of dry air. If your skin feels tight and itchy, use a moisturizing lotion.

Sometimes, a case of the winter blues can be helped by more humidity in the air; it’ll get rid of your scratchy throat, dry skin, and frequent nosebleeds. Keep an eye on your home’s humidity levels when winter comes, and use the above tips and additional tips from indoor air quality to keep the winter air in check.

Guest Contributor: Christie Simon