Winter does not only bring colder temperatures, in some regions it also means dry air in your home as heating systems and air purifiers suck any humidity Mother Nature bestowed right out of your home.
Low moisture in the atmosphere can make your skin dry and itchy and may lead to nasal congestion symptoms like the itchy eyes, stuffed nose, and dry throat -- not saying anything of static cling and shocks when you reach the doorknobs.
Extremely low humidity is also tough on your houseplants, pulling moisture out of their leaves faster than roots can replace it.
Increasing air moisture using a humidifier is an obvious solution to these issues, but they cost $30 for the smallest units up to $200 -- for each room, this can get expensive.
Worse, most humidifiers operate on electric power which increases your utility bills.
The good news is: you can increase the humidity in your home's air by building a DIY humidifier using inexpensive supplies.
Check out these eight DIY tips for easing dry air conditions in your home during the winter season.
1. Boil Water
When you boil water, it releases clouds of vapor in the air. So brew yourself a cup of tea, make Pasta for dinner, or just set a pot on the stove (adds a pleasant aroma to your home by adding a few droplets of your desired essential oil, fresh herbs, or dried spices such as cinnamon). Boil for 10 minutes or so, and then pour the water down your kitchen sink to diminish grayish buildup in the drain.
2. Put Evaporation to Work
Evaporation--the process of liquid water converting into water vapor upon exposure to increased temperature or pressure--is a normal part of the water cycle.
Here are a few ways to amplify the humidity in your house and to make this wonder of nature work for you:
Place bowls of water near heater vents or windows. Fill a metal or ceramic bowl (not glass, which might shatter from the heat) with water and set it atop your radiator. Keep on flowers or exhibit beautiful branch clippings in a water-filled vase.
3. Maintain Your Houseplants
The process that plants use to draw water and nutrients from the soil is known as transpiration, move it through the roots of the plant, stalks, and leaves, and return most of the water back into the air in the form of water vapor released from the leaves.
What does that biology mean to you? By going green with a houseplant collection, you are able to add a little humidity in each room. Grouping your plants provides the best results, as it multiplies the number of leaves and surface area giving off water vapor.
Maintaining your plants by watering them regularly, but not soggy, to help the plants retaining optimum moisture.
4. Reap Shower and Bath Benefits
Having a hot shower is a fantastic way to start your morning, or a warm bath to wind down at the day's end. When you use that water power to add moisture in your home, it is excellent.
Let your bathroom door open while you shower or open it after you finish bath so that humidity will flow into the room. Rather than draining the tub the minute you get out, let the water sit till it cools thoroughly, providing it time to release water vapor into the air.
5. Fake a Humidifier Using a Wire Hanger
Here's a humidity solution: Fill water into a bowl, bend a wire coat hanger in the center so it can “sit" over the pan and drape a hand towel or damp washcloth over the hanger, so the towel partly hangs into the water. Water will wick in the bowl into the towel and then evaporates in the air. This is more powerful than filling a container with water a larger surface area given by the towel.
Consider placing the contraption close to your headboard to stave nasal congestion off.
6. Make a DIY Humidifier with a Fan
An evaporator humidifier's mechanisms are straightforward, involving a wick to absorb the water, a water container, and a fan to drive moisture into the air. With these principles in mind, a DIYer can construct a humidifier for less than $15, using supplies as a sponge, a computer fan, and a water bottle. Search for videos online to get some help.
Just remember to use caution when using electricity and water, to prevent you from electric shock.
7. Get Moisture from Significant Appliances
Utilizing --or bypassing--certain appliances are a simple way to increase the humidity level in your residence. Rather than letting your dishwasher undergo a hot-dry cycle, open the door after the washing process is completed, and allow the air to be moistened by a surge of steam.
Rather than loading your delicates to the clothes dryer, hang them on a line or stand in the kitchen or the laundry room. You decrease wear-and-tear in your clothes, will save on your utility bills, and add moisture to the atmosphere as the dampness evaporates from the fabric.
8. Try Something Fishy
Whether it's a simple bowl containing goldfish, a 20-gallon tank full of vibrant fish, or a 20-gallon saltwater tank showing coral and saltwater specimens, an aquarium offers loads of water vapor because of evaporation into the room air.
An aquarium's advantages go far beyond humidity; you gain an enjoyable hobby, a relaxation aid, and decorative focal point. That's a lot of wins.
