Ventilating is important all year round. During the winter months, you should open your house at least once a day, no matter how bitterly cold it is outside. It doesn't have to be for long, opening a window or door for even just a few minutes will create a cross-draught.
Ventilate briefly but intensively. By opening the windows wide, we help the air exchange occur faster and prevent excessive cooling. In the winter months, about 5 minutes is enough to provide our rooms with the right amount of fresh air.
It's recommended that you do so once a day, for at least five minutes. Fifteen to 20 minutes is preferable. However, when you open them is also important. Keep them open at night or in the early morning, when the weather is cooler.
Ventilation. Although it's tempting to keep all the doors and windows shut during the months winter, it's important to let your house breathe and keep air flowing. Open windows on opposite sides of the home for short periods to allow for cross ventilation.
15 minutes is enough to air the house properly
It will take just a few minutes to heat the room again. Leaving a tilt-and-turn window ajar all day, however, is not effective: it cools the walls and it costs much more to heat the room back up again.
Carbon monoxide can build up to deadly levels indoors without proper ventilation, but it is not the only risk. Concentrations of radon, which can cause lung cancer, can increase in homes with low ventilation.
Allowing plenty of clean, fresh air in your home will provide a boost to your health. Fresh air increases the amount of oxygen in your body which supports white blood cells to function more efficiently. This helps to strengthen the immune system to fight off bacteria and illness more effectively.
Improves Air Quality
This is due to accumulations of CO2, allergens, germs, mold, chemicals and more. All of this ups your chances of getting sick, experiencing headaches and other health issues. Opening your windows can help get these contaminants out and improve your home's air quality.
Benefits of Sleeping with the Window Open in Winter
Outdoor air is generally much cleaner than the air in your home, and opening the window allows clean, fresh air to circulate, flushing out the stale, contaminated air. Letting the cool, winter air in can also help you sleep better.
An attic space that offers too much ventilation can affect the quality and performance of your chosen insulation method. Too little, and you could be facing all sorts of related issues, such as condensation and mould growth.
Airing out your house once a day will make a world of a difference. If you live in a highly polluted urban area, however, you may consider doing it every other day. Otherwise, doing it daily is ideal, especially if there are a lot of people in your home or there's somebody with respiratory issues.
Keeps mold and mildew out by reducing condensation
Over time, the condensation will build up on walls and windows. It can damage the wood and contribute to mold or mildew growth. Airing out your home daily will ensure that the moisture leaves your home before mold forms. It's important to catch the condensation early.
When windows are kept closed and there is insufficient air circulation inside, condensation can form on the panes. If ignored, this moisture can create serious problems. Mold, bacteria, and other toxins can start to build up and possibly cause illness in those living in the home.
So how often should you ventilate your home in the winter, considering that you don't want to waste energy heating the street? Ideally, you should open your windows (windows cleaning) for at least 10 minutes every day.
Circulation: Circulation is a form of air replacement and is surprisingly beneficial during the winter months when you tend to keep your home sealed up. On a warmer winter day, allow some clean fresh air to enter and circulate throughout your home.
What Temperature is Too Cold for a House? While everyone has a different tolerance to cold, ideal winter heat settings should generally be at or above 63 °F (17 °C). Excessive cold (anything below 62 °F or 16 °C) in your home can actually raise your blood pressure as your blood “thickens” in the chilly temperatures.
The single most effective way to avoid Carbon Dioxide build-up is to keep windows open while you sleep. This allows fresh oxygen in, as well as allowing Carbon Dioxide to escape naturally. Another important factor in choosing to keep windows open at night is for temperature control or thermoregulation.
Chris added: "Much of the sunlight that enters your home through the windows turns into heat, so it's a good idea to keep your curtains and blinds closed, at least during the hottest times of the day. You may even want to opt for blackout curtains to keep windows covered and block the sunlight out completely."
Potential risks of leaving your windows open at night
The biggest consideration is the safety and security of your home. If you leave your windows open, there is an increased chance that a criminal may use these to gain entry into your home. There is also the risk of a wild animal entering and causing property damage.
Long considered to be a key measure for good respiratory hygiene, Germans often crack open windows to let nasty, stale air out and fresh, but cold, air in, even in the dead of winter.
Drafts from your windows can let in cold air, raise your electric bill, and make an all-around colder home. Drafts can also let in cold-weather moisture, leading to issues like water damage and bugs. To find out if your windows are at the heart of your interior temperature problems, check for drafts.
Use fans to improve air flow
Even without an open window, fans can improve air flow. Point fans away from people. Pointing fans toward people can blow contaminated air directly at them. Use ceiling fans to help improve air flow in the home whether or not windows are open.
WHAT HEALTH EFFECTS CAN BE CAUSED BY POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY? Occupants of homes with poor indoor air quality may complain of symptoms such as headache, eye irritation, fatigue, dry throat, sinus congestion, dizziness, and nausea.
Signs of Poor Ventilation
Windows and glass that appear frosted due to condensation. The discoloration of floor, wall tiles, and grout. Early signs of rust stains on plumbing. Mold growth on structural surfaces like walls and wood.
Removes dust
No matter how clean you keep your home, dust always settles, and more so throughout the night without family members moving about. Fresh air lifts this dust and prevents dustballs from forming. It helps move dust from those hard-to-reach places into the limelight to be sucked up later by your vacuum.