If you’ve noticed more static electricity, dry skin, or a scratchy throat since turning on your heat, you’re not alone. Dry indoor air is a common problem during winter, especially in a climate like Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs already has relatively dry conditions, and indoor humidity can drop even further when cold weather arrives. While your heating system often gets blamed for drying out the house, the real explanation involves cold outdoor air, indoor heating, and the amount of outside air entering your home.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage dry indoor air. The first step is understanding why it happens and determining how much humidity is actually inside your home.
Why Does Indoor Air Get So Dry During a Colorado Winter?
Winter air naturally contains less moisture than warm summer air. As outdoor temperatures fall, the amount of water vapor in the air also tends to decrease.
That cold, dry air doesn’t stay outside.
Outdoor air enters your home whenever you open a door. It can also enter through small gaps around windows, doors, attics, and other parts of the building. Exhaust fans and normal ventilation can also bring outdoor air into the house.
Once that air gets inside, your heating system warms it.
Heating the Air Lowers Its Relative Humidity
This is where indoor air can start feeling especially dry.
Heating air doesn’t necessarily remove water from it. Instead, warming the air changes its relative humidity.
Relative humidity describes the amount of moisture in the air compared with how much moisture the air could hold at its current temperature. Warmer air can hold more moisture than colder air.
When cold outdoor air enters your home and is heated without adding moisture, its relative humidity falls.
The result can be warm indoor air that feels extremely dry.
Why Is Dry Air Such a Problem in Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs has a high-altitude, relatively dry climate. The city sits roughly 6,000 feet above sea level, and homeowners are already accustomed to dry outdoor conditions for much of the year.
Winter can make indoor dryness even more noticeable.
Cold outdoor air contains relatively little moisture. As that air enters your home and your heating system warms it, indoor relative humidity can fall.
The amount of outdoor air entering the house also matters.
An older or draftier home may allow more cold outdoor air to enter through gaps and leaks. As that air is continuously heated, maintaining comfortable indoor humidity can become more difficult.
This combination of Colorado’s dry climate, cold winter weather, and indoor heating can leave some homes feeling particularly dry during heating season.
How Can You Tell If the Air in Your House Is Too Dry?
You don’t have to wait until the air feels uncomfortable to start paying attention to humidity.
There are several signs that may appear when indoor humidity becomes very low.
Frequent Static Electricity
If you’re constantly getting shocked when you touch a doorknob, blanket, appliance, or another person, dry indoor air may be contributing to the problem.
Static electricity tends to become more noticeable when humidity is low.
The occasional static shock during a Colorado winter isn’t unusual. However, frequent static electricity throughout the house may be one sign that your indoor air is particularly dry.
Dry Skin, Lips, Nose, or Throat
Low indoor humidity can contribute to dry skin, chapped lips, and discomfort involving your nose, eyes, or throat.
There can be many reasons for these symptoms, so they shouldn’t be used by themselves to determine your home’s humidity level.
If you suspect dry air is contributing to your discomfort, measuring the indoor humidity is a better way to find out.
Changes in Wood Floors, Furniture, or Trim
Wood responds to changes in moisture.
When indoor conditions become very dry, wood can lose moisture and shrink. You may notice gaps appearing between hardwood floorboards or changes in wood furniture, trim, doors, or musical instruments.
Humidity isn’t the only factor that can affect wood, but maintaining reasonable indoor humidity can help reduce extreme seasonal moisture changes.
Your Home Feels Less Comfortable
Temperature isn’t the only thing that affects how comfortable your home feels.
Very dry indoor conditions can make a heated home feel less comfortable even when the thermostat shows a normal temperature.
If you’re constantly adjusting the thermostat but the house still doesn’t feel quite right, indoor humidity may be one factor worth checking.
What Should Indoor Humidity Be During Winter?
There isn’t one perfect indoor humidity setting that works for every house and every outdoor temperature.
Indoor humidity is usually measured as relative humidity, or RH.
A general indoor range of around 30% to 50% relative humidity is commonly recommended. However, that doesn’t mean you should always try to keep your home near the upper end of that range.
During very cold weather, indoor humidity may need to be lower to prevent excessive condensation on windows and other cold surfaces.
Your home’s construction, windows, insulation, outdoor temperature, and other factors can affect how much humidity it can handle without developing condensation.
Can Your Home Be Too Humid in Winter?
Yes.
Adding more moisture isn’t always better.
If indoor humidity becomes too high, moisture may begin condensing on cold windows, walls, or other surfaces. Excess moisture can contribute to mold growth and other moisture-related problems.
Watch your windows during cold weather. Persistent or heavy condensation can be a sign that the indoor humidity is too high for the current conditions or that another moisture or building-envelope issue needs attention.
The goal isn’t to make your home humid. It’s to maintain a comfortable and controlled level of moisture.
How Can You Measure the Humidity in Your Home?
You don’t need to guess whether your house is too dry.
A small device called a hygrometer measures relative humidity. Digital hygrometers are widely available and can give you a better idea of what’s happening inside your home.
Some thermostats, smart-home sensors, and humidifier controls can also display indoor humidity.
Consider checking humidity in more than one part of the house. Conditions in a bedroom may be different from those in the living room or basement.
You can also monitor humidity over several days instead of relying on a single reading. This can help you see how indoor humidity changes as outdoor temperatures and heating needs change.
How Can You Add Humidity to Your Home During Winter?
If you’ve measured your indoor humidity and found that the air is consistently too dry, there are several ways to add moisture.
The right solution depends partly on whether you’re trying to improve humidity in one room or throughout the house.
Portable Humidifiers
A portable humidifier can be a simple solution for a bedroom, home office, or another individual space.
Advantages include:
- Lower initial cost
- No changes to the HVAC system
- Easy to move between rooms
- Useful when only one area needs additional humidity
Portable humidifiers also require regular attention.
Depending on the unit, you may need to refill the water frequently and clean the humidifier regularly according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If several rooms need additional humidity, using and maintaining multiple portable humidifiers may become inconvenient.
Whole-Home Humidifiers
A whole-home humidifier is designed to work with your HVAC system to provide humidity across a larger portion of the house.
Instead of filling individual humidifiers in different rooms, the system adds moisture as air moves through the home’s HVAC system.
Potential advantages include:
- Humidity control across more of the home
- Centralized operation
- Less daily attention than multiple portable units
- Automatic humidity control with compatible equipment
Whole-home humidifiers still require maintenance. Depending on the type of system, pads, panels, filters, or other components may need periodic cleaning or replacement.
What Types of Whole-Home Humidifiers Are Available?
There are several types of whole-home humidifiers, and the right choice depends on the house and HVAC system.
Bypass Humidifiers
A bypass humidifier uses airflow from the HVAC system to move air through a water panel or similar humidifying component.
These systems can be a practical option for many homes, but they require the appropriate duct configuration and installation.
Fan-Powered Humidifiers
A fan-powered humidifier uses its own fan to move air through the humidifier.
Because the unit doesn’t rely entirely on the HVAC system’s airflow through a bypass duct, it may work in installations where a bypass configuration isn’t ideal.
Steam Humidifiers
Steam humidifiers heat water to create steam, which is then introduced into the home’s airflow.
They can provide more direct humidity control but also have different electrical, installation, and maintenance requirements than other types of whole-home humidifiers.
There isn’t one type of humidifier that’s best for every Colorado Springs home.
The appropriate system depends on factors such as the home’s size, HVAC equipment, ductwork, humidity needs, and available installation space.
Can a Whole-Home Humidifier Make the House Too Humid?
Yes, which is why humidity control matters.
Whole-home humidifiers typically use a humidistat or another control to manage the amount of moisture being added to the air.
Some systems can adjust humidity based on indoor or outdoor conditions. This can be useful because the appropriate indoor humidity level may change as outdoor temperatures rise and fall.
Proper installation and setup are important.
Homeowners should also watch for signs of excessive humidity, especially condensation on windows and other cold surfaces.
A whole-home humidifier shouldn’t simply add as much moisture as possible. The goal is to maintain an appropriate humidity level without creating moisture problems.
Is My Furnace Causing the Dry Air?
Not exactly.
It’s common to hear that a furnace “dries out the air,” but a typical furnace doesn’t simply remove moisture from your home’s air as it heats it.
The bigger issue is what happens when cold outdoor air enters the house.
That outdoor air contains relatively little moisture. Once your furnace warms it, the air’s relative humidity becomes lower unless additional moisture is added.
Homes with more air leakage may experience this effect more strongly because dry outdoor air is continuously entering the house and replacing indoor air.
Your furnace may make the dryness more noticeable because heating season is when this process occurs, but the heating equipment isn’t necessarily removing moisture from the air.
Can Air Sealing Help With Dry Indoor Air?
Sometimes the solution isn’t only about adding moisture.
If your home allows large amounts of cold, dry outdoor air to enter through gaps and leaks, reducing uncontrolled air leakage may help make indoor humidity easier to maintain.
Common areas for air leakage can include:
- Windows and doors
- Attic penetrations
- Gaps around plumbing or wiring
- Other openings in the home’s exterior
Reducing unwanted air leakage can also improve overall comfort and may reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the home.
However, homes still need appropriate ventilation. The goal is to reduce uncontrolled air leakage, not eliminate necessary ventilation.
Do You Need a Whole-Home Humidifier in Colorado Springs?
Not every Colorado Springs home needs a whole-home humidifier.
The best place to start is by measuring your indoor relative humidity rather than assuming the air is too dry.
A whole-home humidifier may be worth considering if:
- Indoor humidity remains consistently low during winter.
- Static electricity is a frequent problem.
- Dry indoor conditions are affecting comfort.
- You’re noticing seasonal changes in wood floors, furniture, or trim.
- Portable humidifiers aren’t practical for the areas you want to humidify.
- You want centralized humidity control through your HVAC system.
The right solution depends on your home’s humidity levels, construction, HVAC system, and comfort preferences.
Make Your Colorado Springs Home More Comfortable This Winter
Dry indoor air is common during Colorado winters, but you don’t have to guess whether your home needs more humidity.
Start by measuring the relative humidity inside your home. Pay attention to signs such as frequent static electricity, uncomfortable dryness, and changes in wood throughout the house.
If humidity remains consistently low, a whole-home humidifier may provide a more convenient way to manage moisture throughout your home.
High Altitude Heating & Air can evaluate your indoor humidity and HVAC system and help determine whether a whole-home humidifier is right for your Colorado Springs home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dry Winter Air
Why does my house get so dry when I turn on the heat?
Cold outdoor air contains less moisture than warmer air. When that cold, dry air enters your home and is heated, its relative humidity drops. This is one reason homes often begin feeling much drier after heating season starts.
What is a good indoor humidity level during winter?
A general range of around 30% to 50% relative humidity is commonly used for indoor environments. However, the appropriate level depends on outdoor temperature and your home. During very cold weather, a lower indoor humidity level may be necessary to prevent condensation on windows and other cold surfaces.
Does a furnace remove moisture from the air?
A typical furnace doesn’t simply remove moisture from the air as it heats it. Much of the dry-air effect comes from cold, low-moisture outdoor air entering the home and then being heated, which lowers its relative humidity.
How do I know how dry my house actually is?
Use a hygrometer to measure indoor relative humidity. Some thermostats and indoor-air-quality monitors can also display humidity. Measuring the humidity is more reliable than judging it by comfort alone.
Is a whole-home humidifier better than a portable humidifier?
It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. Portable humidifiers can work well for individual rooms. A whole-home humidifier provides centralized humidity control and is designed to add moisture across a larger portion of the house.
Can you have too much humidity during a Colorado winter?
Yes. Excessive indoor humidity can contribute to condensation and other moisture problems, particularly during very cold weather. The goal is to maintain a controlled humidity level rather than simply adding as much moisture as possible.
