How to Add Humidity to a Home in Winter

Water adds humidity to the house.

When the heating system is on more in the winter months, the air can dry out and cause uncomfortably dry skin, lips, damaged hair and respiratory complaints. Adding humidity to the house in the winter can increase comfort and is easy to do.

Things You'll Need

• Humidifiers
• Shallow pans
• Laundry racks
• Spray bottle
• Water

Instructions

1. Purchase electronic humidifiers for your home and use them according to manufacturer's instructions. Fill the humidifiers to the appropriate line with water and plug them in for a pleasing mist that increases air humidity levels. Use electronic devices like these especially in bedrooms to ease breathing at night.

2. Place shallow pans of water near heating vents, sunny windows, or anywhere you have a flat, protected surface. The heated air or sunlight will speed the evaporation of the water in the pans, thus increasing the humidity in the room. Be sure to clean the pans and refill them regularly to maximize the effectiveness of this method of adding humidity to your home in winter.

3. Hang damp laundry and hand-washed clothes inside on laundry racks. Not only will it save you the electricity normally used by a clothes dryer, it will increase the humidity in your home. Hanging laundry outside in the cold winter is not as efficient as hanging it inside a warm, dry house. The clothing, linens and other laundered items will dry faster while releasing moisture into the air.

4. Fill a plain plastic or glass spray bottle with clean water and spray the water into the air in all the rooms of your house. You can also spray a very light mist on furniture and bedding. The water will evaporate quickly and will thus increase the humidity in the room during the winter months. Be careful not to spray too much water, and avoid spraying it on untreated wood surfaces or fabrics that may be damaged by water.

5. Practice smart methods of increasing humidity in your home in the winter months by using the moisture you already have. Leave the bathroom door open after a warm shower so that the moist air spreads into the house. Likewise, leave the dishwasher open after its cycle is complete. Water houseplants regularly and keep fish tanks topped up. All these things can help increase the humidity in your home.