Damp Winter House?

During the cool winter months - and the bout of weather predicted for later this week, it is easy to close up all the windows and flip on the furnace or heaters in your home. If you have an older home, this can cause problems.
Cool air has less moisture in the air than hot air (scientifically because of the molecule structure), when that cool air is heated, even more of the moisture can be taken out of the air. The process of heating can create parts or areas in your home that are drier than others - causing dry skin or itchy eyes. Other parts of the home, say, where water is used often - the bathroom or the kitchen, or even those that are poorly insulated can have more moisture in them than the air can absorb. This can cause condensation on glass windows or outside-facing walls.
What's a homeowner to do? Well, there are several different options depending on the severity of the situation. 1. If there is mold in the home, steps need to be taken to not only kill the mold, but also to remove the spores. There are suggestions from Washington state at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/IAQ/GOT_Mold.html. They provide information on not only how to remove the mold, but also how to prevent it in the future. If your bathroom or kitchen is poorly insulated, you may not even see the mold. Be sure to check inside or underneath cabinetry. 2. Use your heating or air system to adjust humidity levels. This one will only work if your ducting and units are in tip-top shape. If the ducts are being utilized to their optimum capacity and all the rooms are being heated to the same temperature - you probably aren't having problems with moisture. However, if certain rooms receive less air flow, it may be time to have a contractor inspect your ducting. Perhaps there is a bad seal or other leak in the ducting, which is allowing the heated air to flow into non-livable spaces. This link provides a pdf for more information: http://www.socalhers.com/resources/Why%20is%20duct%20testing%20important.pdf 3. Check your insulation levels. Especially if your home was built before the 1990s, the insulation levels have changed and so your home may be lacking layers that have been added to subsequent building codes. If your home is not properly insulated, heat may be escaping, and cool air coming in - also causing the temperature changes and condensation on the windows. More information can be found at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/insulation.html If you have tried all of the above (or if they do not apply to you) you might want to consider adding a humidifier or dehumidifying option to your existing HVAC system to ensure that the proper levels are maintained throughout the day. This can be especially helpful for households where members suffer from asthma or other respiratory illnesses.