Given how much time you spend indoors, certain things have become second nature to you. House smells that are uniquely yours you barely even notice anymore. Peeled paint around the kitchen window? Most of the time you can ignore it…until you go on a “let’s fix this!” frenzy.

You also may be used to dry skin, frizzy hair, longer-lasting colds, nose irritation and bleeding, static electrical shock…should we keep going?

Here’s the thing: don’t allow yourself to get accustomed to these at-home annoyances because there are solutions galore to reduce their severity or get rid of them entirely. The solutions we speak of address the problem of dry indoor air, much more common in winter vs. summer months.

One of the simplest ways to beef up indoor humidity and relieve your dry-air symptoms is to add certain types of house plants into your home environment.

Here are a few that are particularly effective:

Areca Palm

NASA research found that the Areca palm is one of the most efficient air humidifiers among all indoor plant species and can transpire nearly one-quart of water in 24 hours. Place them in bright, filtered light to avoid leaf burn, give them plenty of water, and prune occasionally to keep them thriving.

Boston Fern

Thought to be one of the oldest plants still around—ferns have been found as fossils—the Boston fern is a reliable, easy-to-care-for houseplant. Best displayed in a hanging basket or on a pedestal, this plant needs frequent misting and watering to say healthy, but it will reward you with added humidity.

Peace Lily

The peace lily is a flowering perennial with a high transpiration rate. They prefer filtered light and moist, well-drained soil. Do not place peace lilies in direct sun as their leaves burn easily.

Bamboo Palm

You can place these humidifying plants singly throughout your home or group them together to create their own humid microclimate. You also can increase their humidifying potential by adding small pebbles to saucers underneath them and filling them with enough water to cover about half the depth of the pebbles.

As we’ve stated, these are just a few examples of many. So, if it sounds like a hobby and home moisturizing plan you can get behind, read up on the topic and then speak to your local florist for tips you won’t necessarily find online.

Of course, adding house plants to moisten your air does have certain limitations, among them that it’s highly unlikely you can cover your house with them. Looking for a one-time, whole-house solution? Then talk to the indoor air quality specialists at Tru-Comfort about the many benefits of a whole-house humidifier. Once installed, you’ll wonder how you ever got by without one.