The air quality inside the house is important for the well-being of all the people who live there, but it is also necessary in order to avoid the formation of mold in the walls and cabinets. Find out how you should ventilate your home in winter and avoid wasting energy! Many people make this mistake in the cold season.
What happens if you don’t ventilate the house properly?
Open window – Source: spm
Daily activities such as cooking, ironing, bathing and others increase the humidity in the house. Among the most common effects of poor ventilation are: mold growth, allergic reactions, respiratory diseases and high blood pressure, discomfort, reduced immunity and poor ability to concentrate.
However, if you leave the windows open too long during the cold season, the temperature in the house drops considerably, especially when the weather is cool outside, and therefore the heating bills increase.
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Why is it important to ventilate your home?
The Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) recommends ventilating your interior to renew the air. Several factors can contribute to polluting the air in the house, such as:
- building materials
- household products
- home fragrances
- fine particles
- The molds
- mites, etc.
Ventilating helps to reduce humidity and limit indoor air pollution.
Open windows – Source: spm
Specialists from ADEME (environment agency) recommend airing the house for regarding 5 to 10 minutes during the winter months. But beware ! During this time, the windows should be opened wide, so that air exchange takes place quickly, avoiding overcooling of the house.
Also, many people make the mistake of not lowering the heating temperature before opening the windows. Thermoelectric actuators, increasingly installed on radiators, make it possible to maintain a comfortable temperature at all times.
Thus, by opening the windows, the heating system starts to operate at full power. But hot air comes out of the house. Therefore, it is better to reduce the preset temperature when airing the house, so as not to receive a higher heating bill.
It is also important that you close doors between rooms with different heating temperature settings. This will prevent warm, moist air from condensing in cooler rooms.
Don’t forget to heat and ventilate the rooms you are not using as well. Otherwise, the risk of mold will increase in the colder months. Most rooms are a bit cooler than the rest of the house. As a result, moisture can collect on walls and window frames as the air condenses. Therefore, it is advisable to install an electric booster on the radiator in these rooms and reduce the temperature by several degrees compared to other rooms in the house. This will avoid a considerable increase in your heating bills.
How long should you ventilate your home?
ADEME recommends ventilating your home for 5 to 10 minutes a day. You can ventilate once or several times a day, depending on your schedule and the activities you do. The seasons also have an impact on the way of airing. For example, in winter it is better to aerate in the morning and in the evening, while in summer it is better to aerate early in the morning and late in the evening.
When is it best to air out in winter?
In winter, outdoor pollution is at its peak between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. It is therefore recommended to favor ventilation between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. and a small session in the evening following dinner. Note that even in winter, it is important to ventilate every day.
Should we ventilate even if we have a VMC?
Yes, it is always advisable to ventilate even if you have controlled mechanical ventilation (VMC). This can help improve air circulation and renew indoor air.
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Should I ventilate when it rains?
Yes, you can still air even then. It’s best to ventilate by opening windows and doors on either side of your home to create drafts.
What is the impact of ventilation on energy expenditure in winter?
Opening the windows for 5 minutes has no influence on energy expenditure in winter, because this period of time is too short to cool the walls and the interior of your home
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