Key Points
- Allowing cold, dry outdoor air to leak into the home will reduce the humidity indoors.
- Appliances, like the furnace, AC, or fireplace, can remove moisture from the air, causing it to feel dry.
- Overuse of fans and dehumidifiers pulls too much moisture out of the air, drying out the home.
In winter, many homes begin to feel dry—but this doesn’t have to be the case. Problems like not having a whole-home humidifier, issues with the insulation and ventilation, and even overuse of certain appliances can make your home feel dry.
We spoke to HVAC pros to find out the top reasons your home is so dry and how to fix them.
Meet the Expert
Randy Huckstadt is a licensed HVAC Contractor and Owner of Cool Runnings Heating & Air Conditioning.
Air Leaks
When there are gaps and cracks around your windows and doors, the moist air indoors can seep out, while the cold, dry outdoor air leaks into the home.
This exchange can rapidly dry out the air inside your home, while also forcing your HVAC system to work harder to keep the home warm, which has the added effect of removing even more moisture from the air.
To fix this issue, use caulk and weatherstripping to seal any gaps and cracks.
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Long-Term Forced-Air Heating Use
Furnaces heat the air and use a fan to force the heated air through the ducts of the home to warm your house. They are especially active during the winter months when temperatures plummet.
“Using your HVAC system, whether in heating or in air conditioning mode, acts as a natural dehumidifier,” says Randy Huckstadt, HVAC Contractor and Owner of Cool Runnings Heating & Air Conditioning. “This means the longer you use it the further it will dry out the air as it removes what little moisture is in the air.”
Not using the HVAC system simply isn’t an answer in the freezing cold, so instead you should look for ways to add moisture to the air, such as by using a humidifier, leaving the door cracked when the shower is running, or adding a few plants to the home.
Cold Weather
One factor that you can’t do much about is the climate.
“Dry air occurs naturally when it gets cold outside,” Huckstadt says. “As the air temperature drops, the air loses the ability to hold water resulting in dry air.”
Since the air is actually unable to hold as much water as it once could, any air that enters from outside the home will naturally have less moisture than the air inside the home, causing the humidity levels to drop.
You can reduce this problem by minimizing the amount of cold, dry air that enters with proper sealing and insulation, while using a humidifier or plants indoors to increase ambient humidity.
Poor Insulation
If the insulation in your home is poor, then it reduces its ability to retain moisture and warm air. The warm, moisture air from inside the home will seep through the walls and roof of the house, while the cold, dry air from outside will flow into the home, causing the humidity levels indoors to drop.
For this reason, inspect your insulation once a year to ensure that it is in good condition and that there is enough to adequately insulate the home. This will also have the added benefit of reducing energy waste.
Insufficient Ventilation
Installing quality insulation and sealing any gaps and cracks will prevent moisture from seeping out of the home during the winter months when the air is cold and dry.
However, if there is insufficient ventilation, it can leave the air feeling stale, dry, and uncomfortable, so you can air the home out by opening the windows for about 15 minutes each day. Otherwise, you will end up trapping the dry air inside, while your appliances, like the furnace, stove, oven, and fireplace, gradually remove more and more moisture from the trapped air.
Overuse of Appliances
Appliances, like ovens, gas stoves, and fireplaces, can pull moisture out of the air, contributing to the feeling of dryness inside your home. A quick way to stop this from happening is to simply use these appliances less or use them for shorter periods of time, but this isn’t always possible.
If you need to use a certain appliance for a long period of time, like having the oven on all day to cook a turkey dinner, then Huckstadt says “along with humidifiers to improve indoor humidity also leave the bathroom door cracked to allow the moisture or steam from the shower out into the house and put a pot of water or a steam kettle on the stove on low.”
Long-Term Air Conditioner Use
During the warmer months of the year, your air conditioning system will keep the home cool, but running the air conditioner for an extended period of time will reduce the ambient humidity levels indoors, making the home feel dry.
“The best solution for this is to add moisture to the air using a humidifier,” Huckstadt says. “There are portable humidifiers you can use and whole house humidifiers that can be installed as a part of the HVAC system.”
Lack of Plants
Plants are an excellent source of moisture, especially when, as Huskstadt says, “there are certain household items and such like drywall, hardwood floors, and some furniture can absorb moisture from the air, contributing to overall dryness when the air is already lacking humidity.”
But if your home doesn’t have any plants indoors, then you are simply allowing that moisture to be absorbed, causing the air to dry out faster. Try setting up a few plants throughout the home. They naturally release moisture through transpiration, allowing you to increase the indoor humidity levels with minimal effort.
Overuse of Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are often used during the warmer months of the year, as well as in the spring and early fall when the HVAC system isn’t frequently running. These appliances are designed to remove moisture from the air, but if they are left running for too long, they can rapid dry out the air inside the home, making it feel uncomfortably dry.
Thankfully, the fix for this problem is as easy as turning off the dehumidifier. You may also consider investing in a dehumidifier with a built-in timer so you don’t accidentally leave it running for too long in the future.
Leaving Exhaust Fans On
Exhaust fans can be a great help for getting rid of steam, smoke, and smells from inside the home. They can also be used to remove stale air from indoors, but they can make your home feel more dry.
“Bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans strip moisture out of the air and send it outside,” Huckstadt says.
So, if you are constantly running your bathroom or kitchen exhaust fans, you are actively drying out the air inside the home. Ideally, you should limit the use of your exhaust fans so that they are only running during activities that smoke and odors, as well as about 10 to 30 minutes afterwards.