Dry Winter Air: How Heating Dries Out Your Home

Every winter, the same thing happens: tight-feeling skin, a dry throat, struggling houseplants. The culprit is often the heating, which dries out indoor air far more than most people realise.

Why heating dries out the air

Central heating, widely used in Belgium during the long winter months, warms the air without adding any moisture to it. As a result, warm air holds humidity less effectively, and relative humidity quickly drops below the comfort threshold.

What humidity level should you aim for in winter?

A healthy relative humidity level is generally between 40 and 60%. During periods of heavy heating, this can easily drop below 30%, causing dry skin, irritation and a dry throat upon waking.

Simple solutions

• 💧 Use a humidifier to reintroduce water vapour into the ambient air
• 🌿 Add a few houseplants, which naturally contribute to a room's humidity
• 🪣 Avoid drying laundry directly on radiators, which dries the air out even more by contrast
• 🔥 Slightly lower the heating temperature, which limits excessive drying

A 2-in-1 humidifier

A device combining a humidifier and an ambiance diffuser lets you tackle dry air while enjoying a warm atmosphere, especially welcome on winter evenings.

Frequently asked questions

Does wood heating dry the air as much as central heating?

Yes, sometimes even more — the dry heat produced by a wood stove strongly dries out the surrounding air.

How long should a humidifier run each day?

It depends on the humidity level measured in the room — the best approach is to monitor with a hygrometer and adjust use accordingly.

Is dry air just uncomfortable, or also harmful to health?

Air that's too dry can irritate mucous membranes and encourage certain respiratory discomforts, on top of the day-to-day skin discomfort.