Nasal congestion inside when cold and/or windy outside

[thaldine]

Any ideas precisely why someone may get nasal congestion indoors when cold and/or windy weather ? Symptoms seems to be correlated with the amount of heating on. Stepping outside relieves it rapidly and coming back indoors brings the symptoms back almost as quickly.

 

Is it simply down to the fact the cold winter air has (relatively speaking) less moisture in it so when that air is heated indoors it dries the mucus membranes out more, or is there more to it than that ?

 

When planning a new build or renovation how might you design for a better indoor environment in this regard ?

Edited February 18, 2022 by thaldine

[Iceverge]

An new airtight house would be better as the air would not get overly dry in windy weather.

 

At the moment with the leaky structure you have high and uncontrolled throughput of air, this combined with the heating being on will result in a very low RH. 

 

Overly dry houses are just as bad for health as damp ones.