The humidity in the air is an important factor for your health throughout the year. Dry air in your home has been known to aggravate respiratory problems and increase your chances of catching a cold or flu. Additionally, when the air inside your home becomes very dry, particularly during the cold winter months, it can actually lead you to feel colder, which in turn increases the likelihood that you’ll have to rely heavily on your heating system for warmth. Moist air, on the other hand, naturally feels warmer and holds heat better, so when the air inside your home is moist, you can feel comfortable when your thermostat is set at a lower temperature. By turning down your thermostat, even if only by 2 degrees, you can certainly reduce your energy usage and lower your energy bills.
Luckily, there are many things you can do to increase the humidity in your home, without even having to purchase a humidifier. Here are our favorite ways to naturally increase the moisture in the air this winter, to help you stay healthy and save on energy!
#1: Let your clothes and dishes air-dry to not only get moisture in the air but to also reduce your energy consumption
#2: Place metal or ceramic bowls of water on to of heating units to allow the water to evaporate into your home
#3: Put mugs or cups of water on windowsills so that the sun can gently warm the water and evaporate it slowly into your air
#4: Drink Tea instead of Coffee and use a teapot on the stove to heat water (which will increase the moisture in the air)
# 5: Leave the door open when you shower to allow the steam to escape from your bathroom and into the rest of your home
#6: Get a few houseplants – These guys can help in adding humidity to your home by continuously releasing moisture from their leaves and stems of plants as vapor
#7: Do more home cooking, specifically on the stovetop!
