How do I add humidity to my home without an actual humidifier machine?

[chinaKat]

We started heating with a pellet stove this year and so far I love it. LOVE it. The only drawback I've noticed thus far is that it's kind of dry in here. I'd rather not run a humidifier, because of the huge energy costs incurred.

I have an ovenware bowl of water sitting on top of the pellet stove, but it doesn't evaporate like it does on a wood stove -- it's not really all that hot on top of the stove -- it seems like most of the heat is blown forward.

Any suggestions for adding humidity to the air in my house?

[wendyland]

This suggestion is kind of out there, but it's what we did last year. We have a laundry shoot in our hallway that goes to the basement. My husband took the hose that blows the hot air from our dryer to the outside of the house and instead redirected it to blow into the laundry shoot. So, all the hot, moist air went in the hallway instead of outside. (don't use dryer sheets if you do this. they contain toxic chemicals)

We also boil water on the stove and save our hot water from showers. We just clog the drain instead of letting the water go down the drain. We drain it once the water is cold or when someone else needs to bathe.

[yeahwhat]

Can you put a pot of water inf front of the stove then?

Just putting multiple bowls of water around the house will add a bit of moisture if the air is dry.

[mpchez]

i use a laundry rack to dry clothes indoors,and i do think it helps a bit with the humidity in the winter

[sunnysandiegan]

Plants also help with indoor humidity.

[CarrieMF]

Any water sitting out will add humidity. Cool water is better than warm water. no it doesn't evaporate as fast but warm water can cause mold & bacteria issues.

[TeaghansMama]

i boil water on the stove. i love how it makes our first floor all warm and steamy and the windows fog up.

[hollyvangogh]

Originally Posted by wendyland

This suggestion is kind of out there, but it's what we did last year. We have a laundry shoot in our hallway that goes to the basement. My husband took the hose that blows the hot air from our dryer to the outside of the house and instead redirected it to blow into the laundry shoot. So, all the hot, moist air went in the hallway instead of outside. (don't use dryer sheets if you do this. they contain toxic chemicals)

I asked my DH about doing something similar. He said it was a huge fire hazard.

[quantumleap]

We were doing the dryer thing for awhile this fall too. The fire hazzard risk is fairly low if you don't leave things unattended and are sure to have some sort of lint trap on the outgoing air (we were using some pantyhose). We live in the arctic (read: a really cold desert), and the dryer was actually putting too much moisture into our house! I'm tempted to try it one more time, as things have gotten a lot dryer since September. Anyway, there are also these valve things, where you can choose to route your dryer air outside, or you can slide this little do-hickey over and vent the air into your house. Our set up doesn't allow for this sort of thing, but I think it would be the perfect solution as it allows you to control moisture levels in your home (the beginning of the cycle has a heck of a lot more water in it, logically).

We also keep a pot of water on the stove, but I have no experience with pellet stoves (although, I did recently learn that you can burn random organic material in them, like coffee grounds, if it's dry stuff). We also leave small dishes of water on/near heating vents, but obviously this won't work too well if you have crawlers or otherwise curious and floor level children. What about leaving the bathroom door open while you shower?

[grahamsmom98]

We heat with a wood stove (with electric forced air heat for the back-up) and we live in a dry area (inland Washington state)

We use an inexpensive vaporizer. I fill it to the top of the water line each morning and let it run all day. It's extra nice when I add some eo or fragrance oil to it. Makes the whole house cozy and wonderfully scented.

[hollyvangogh]

GrahamsMom98: I love your siggy!

[TEAK's Mom]

Hang your laundry to dry indoors. It adds moisture to the air and saves electricity.

[His Own]

I just use a humidifier, but I know some folks put a pan or bowl of water near the heat source in the bedrooms. Some of the water will evaporate into the air.