Proper ventilation in winter

It’s crucial to keep things fresh by airing out your home regularly. The air indoors can get very stuffy, especially in winter. But how to make sure everything’s properly ventilated?

On cold winter days it’s sometimes nice to cuddle up and enjoy the comforting warmth of indoors. It’s tempting to keep any of the cold outdoor air from coming in at all. Nevertheless, it’s very important to air your home out regularly, also in winter. If you don’t, it can get stuffy, and you run the risk of contact with fungal cultures which can be detrimental to your health.

 

Different airing techniques

In general, living space should be aired out two or three times a day, ideally in the morning, at midday and in the evening. It’s also a good idea to ventilate after you’ve been cooking, taking a shower or doing the laundry.

The most effective method is transverse airing, in other words opening windows opposite each other for around five minutes. This creates a draft that ensures that stale air in the room is quickly replaced by fresh air, and a lot of the moisture in the room is removed. Ventilating like this also prevents the surfaces of the walls and ceilings from cooling down, which saves on heating.

Another effective option is “inrush airing”. Here you replace the stale air by opening the window wide. Although this method involves opening the windows for longer than the transverse method – five to ten minutes should do the trick – it’s very effective.

You should avoid leaving the windows tilted open for permanent ventilation. If at all, it’s best to reserve this method for summer. Leaving the windows tilted makes the exterior walls cool down, which can cause damage, and also wastes a lot of heat.

 

Tips for healthy air indoors

  • Air out by opening opposite windows or fully opening a window briefly; avoid leaving windows tilted open
  • The colder it is outside, the less long you should air for
  • Make sure the air can circulate freely around radiators (don’t cover them with furniture, curtains, etc.)
  • Make sure furniture is standing at least 5 to 10 centimetres away from exterior walls
  • Close the doors between warmer and cooler rooms while the heating’s on
  • Air immediately if the windows steam up
  • Have the heat on the same in all rooms
  • Don’t turn the heating off completely even if a room isn’t used much
  • Air out the bathroom thoroughly after a shower or bath
  • Don’t hang up laundry to dry in your home

 

24.02.2016

In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 telemedicine service free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach. SWICA customers can also use the BENECURA medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.
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