When repairing or installing new furnaces, I’m often asked about dry air in the winter. Many people associate dry air with running the furnace or heat pump. Neither type of heating system removes moisture from the air. The air is simply heated as it passes through the equipment. There is no change in moisture content.

The dry air in the home is caused by infiltration (Wiki Definition) of outside winter air. During the winter months, there are typically two causes of infiltration: prevailing wind and stack effect. Winter months are typically accompanied by a prevailing wind that pushes cold dry air into the cracks of your home. Stack effect (hot air rising) also causes dry cold air to be drawn into the lower areas of your home. Older homes or poorly constructed new homes are more susceptible to both phenomena.

What can you do to prevent this infiltration? Seal your home. There are many different places that your home can be sealed. Energy Star website has a great DIY article on sealing home leaks.

If you have taken the steps to seal your home and it is still too dry, you can add a humidifier. For years, I emptied, cleaned, and filled our portable humidifiers. Bleh. What pain! We installed a steam humidifier by Honeywell last winter. So nice. Our humidity is comfortable in the home twenty-four hours a day with no hassle of the portable humidifier. I installed several for customers last winter, and all are quite pleased with the comfort provided.

If you’d like further information, please give us a call at 244-4328 or use our Contact page.