Why is My House Dry in the Winter?

Have you ever heard someone say their home is too dry in the winter because their furnace runs all the time?  The truth is your furnace heats the air in your home but, unlike your air conditioner, it is not designed to remove moisture.

Many homes in the St. Louis area are dry during the winter heating season.  Some are dry enough to cause comfort problems such as dry skin and cracked lips.  Homeowners with this problem often ask how to fix it.  The first step is to understand the real cause.

Ventilation and its relationship with dry air

In our winter climate, the outside air tends to be drier than the air inside our homes.  Moisture inside the home comes from activities such as cooking, laundry, baths, and showers.  People also add moisture to the air.  Outside the home, the winter air is dry in comparison.

Our homes need ventilation for health and safety, there is no getting around it.  This means fresh air in and stale air out.   It also means dry air in and moist air out (not to mention cold air in and heated air out).

A problem occurs when a home has too much ventilation.  When a home has excess ventilation, we say the home is “leaky”.  The excess ventilation or leakiness means a steady stream of moist air leaving the home replaced by dry winter air coming in.  The result?  A dry home.

Solution?

What is the best way to solve the problem?  Air sealing.  This means sealing up enough of the air leaks to eliminate the excess ventilation without making the house “too tight”.  The most important leaks to seal are in the attic.  They include: 

• Top plates
• Can lights
• Ceiling fixtures
• Bathroom exhaust fans
• Attic accesses
• Whole- house fans
• Chases for stacks and flues
• Electrical penetrations 

Air sealing to eliminate excess ventilation will slow the exchange of inside air for outside air.  This will retain more moisture indoors making your home less dry and more comfortable.  By the way, it will help lower your energy bills too.

Contact us today to schedule a free estimate for air sealing and insulation!