Thursday, May 2, 2024

Effects of Dry Winter Air and Indoor Heating on our Respiratory Health

dry air in house

The key is to ramp up natural evaporation while using heat sources such as radiators and stovetops that transfer water vapor into the air quickly. When you turn up the thermostat in your home, your heating system kicks up clouds of dust, pollen, and other allergens that can inflame your sinuses. Cold, dry air plus those allergens can also irritate your airways. For some people with asthma, cold and dry air can lead to a narrowing of breathing passages and trigger an attack. According to research, spending prolonged periods in very dry indoor air may increase your stress level.

Optimizing Indoor Humidity: Simple Steps for Year-Round Comfort

One of the symptoms of dry air in the house is the frequency and ease of these shocks. Those with sensitive nasal cavities are likely to experience frequent nosebleeds. If you find yourself experiencing this, we recommend increasing the humidity levels with a humidifier.

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If you'd like to avoid the misery, inconvenience and damage of dry air, there are two types of whole-home humidifiers available to you. And unlike portable humidifiers that only restore moisture in one room, whole-home humidifiers help preserve comfort and healthier air in every room. Placing small bowls of water on top of heating floor grates can help add some extra humidity back into the air during the winter months. Cooking in the oven tends to dry out the air, while cooking on the stovetop does the opposite. Whatever you’re making for dinner tonight, make it on the stovetop rather than in the oven.

dry air in house

Ways Dry Air Can Affect Your Health

Find your nearest Lennox Dealer to learn more about proper humidification by using the Lennox Dealer Locator. And there you have it — 11 suggestions for how to make small changes in your home to combat dry air. Take a small decorative bowl and fill it almost to the top with water. Place it out of the way on a table or shelf and it will slowly evaporate over time. In order to survive, plants must take in water through the roots. However, not all of the water absorbed by the plant is used — instead, most of it is evaporated back out through the leaves in a process called transpiration.

Drier air causes health concerns - Spectrum News 1

Drier air causes health concerns.

Posted: Sat, 28 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Depending on how hot your radiators get, take care to use a cloth or kitchen mitt when you lift the bowls. If the heat issues from air vents in your home, you can position a small bowl of water near the vents to blow in additional moisture. This can turn into a real health issue if an infectious agent from the nose or mouth is transferred into the crack.

Having dry air in your home can be uncomfortable, especially if you have asthma, allergies, skin conditions like psoriasis, or a cold. Increasing the humidity, or water vapor in the air, is usually done with a humidifier. In most of North America, dry air typically occurs during the cold winter months. Decorative bowls and vases add to your home aesthetic and help you tackle dry air during the winter season. You might already have them on your living room shelves or dining table. To increase humidity, pour water into the bowls and vases.

Essential oil diffusers act almost like miniature humidifiers with fragrance. It might be a good idea to put a few of these in your home, especially in bedrooms. Fresh air circulation has many benefits, but make sure you choose days when the humidity rises. This means checking the weather not just for the temperature, but also for humidity. Luckily, you can access this information easily on any weather app.

Get A Humidifier

dry air in house

When you are trying to fix a dry air problem in your home, first make sure your home is not drafty and all cracks are sealed. Then try using a quality humidifier, or an HVAC system that controls humidity in your home. You can also help save your dishwasher some work while adding moisture to the air.

Does a dehumidifier make a room cooler? Experts explain - Homes & Gardens

Does a dehumidifier make a room cooler? Experts explain .

Posted: Sat, 27 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Various plant species need high relative humidity levels to thrive. Regularly watering and misting will help your indoor greenery flourish too. Crock pots not only help you save money on groceries, when you fill them with water and plug them in and keep the lids off they help fight dry indoor air. Boiling water on the stove produces more steam in a shorter time but over time crock pots have proven helpful to many people.

If you’re considering professional humidifier systems, check out this article for more information on what to look for and what to expect. Just be sure not to leave your bathroom vent on or it will wick away all that moisture. Do not place containers of water or homemade humidifiers in an area where water could drip onto electrical outlets. If you want to decorate with vases full of flowers as a way to add humidity in your home, the flowers in the water can even be fake.

Keep in mind that the humidity in a home can be high enough to encourage the growth of certain pests and mold. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, dust mites, a common allergen, thrive in high humidity levels, between 70 and 80 percent. Take advantage of an unseasonably warm winter day to open the windows, if only for a brief time.

Instead of cranking up your thermostat, try putting on an extra layer of clothes to deal with frigid temperatures. You will feel warm and cozy without the heating system sucking moisture from your home. Drink lukewarm water and take hot beverages such as green tea, cinnamon, and hot chocolates. They will not only warm you up but also replenish the lost moisture. You can also consume fluid-filled fruits such as oranges and strawberries to increase your water intake. Schedule a comprehensive home performance test with us and explore customized solutions that breathe life back into your living spaces.

By messing with how it inhales and exhales air the system has to work harder and could break down. This explains the increase in cold, flu and pneumonia cases during the wintertime. This also accounts for worsening nosebleeds, asthma, bronchitis and sinusitis.

Adding bouquets of flowers in water-filled vases actually helps reduce dryness in the air. It also is a great way to cheer you up, and make you forget about the dark and cold world outside. Keep in mind not all humidifiers are the same, and many are designed to increase humidity in a single room. You might want to look into a larger and stronger one if you are trying to lower the humidity in your entire home with only one machine. If you’re already someone who is prone toward dehydration (we mean you with the dry, flaky, itchy winter skin), Dr. Allan recommends a few simple steps.

Residents often experience symptoms reminiscent of a cold, such as a dry throat and a stuffy nose, particularly upon waking. These symptoms are not only uncomfortable but can exacerbate respiratory issues over time. Regular occurrences of breathing difficulties might be a direct result of insufficient indoor humidity. The official winter season is almost here, and many homeowners are concerned about wintertime indoor air quality. The cold weather can cause a number of comfort and health issues, putting a damper on holiday fun.

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