Indoor air is the air that circulates inside your home. This air can get contaminated by pollutants such as pollen, dust, and asbestos. Gases such as nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and sulfur dioxide can also pollute your indoor air.
When indoor air gets polluted, you may start experiencing unpleasant allergy symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat. You may also start feeling dizzy and start experiencing headaches. If you are asthmatic, your asthma symptoms may worsen due to this pollution. That is why you need to do all that you can to ensure that your indoor air does not get polluted.
Will the Amount of Indoor Air Pollutants Increase When You Open Your Windows?
Leaving your windows open for some hours will make you experience many benefits. For instance, it will help you eliminate any odor trapped in your home. It will also help you lower the indoor temperature during the hot summer months. However, before opening them, you need to ask yourself whether the amounts of indoor air pollutants will increase or reduce when you leave the windows open.
According to research, opening windows can help reduce indoor air pollutants. When the windows are open, fresh outdoor air gets inside a home. Polluted indoor air also gets out through other windows. In short, opening windows improves air circulation throughout your home, which, in turn, helps lower indoor air pollution. However, this only happens if the outdoor air is clean.
Opening windows can increase indoor air pollutants if the outdoor air is dirty. Polluted air will get into your indoor space through the open windows. You may experience unpleasant allergy symptoms because of this. To ensure that this does not happen, you need to remember the following things whenever you think about opening windows.
1. Only Open Windows When the Outdoor Air Is Clean
If you live near a big city or busy road, you should not open your windows for long hours. If you open them, polluted outdoor air will get into your home and mix with the clean indoor air. That, in turn, will increase the levels of indoor air pollution. You can use weather applications to check the levels of chemical dust, smoke, and other pollutants in the outdoor air.
2. Do Not Open Your Windows During the Pollen Seasons
During pollen seasons, trees, grass, and other plants release pollen. During these seasons, pollen counts in the outdoor space are usually high. Pollen can get into your indoor space and pollute your indoor air if you leave your windows open. That is why you need to minimize the duration you open your windows in June through August since that is when many plants release pollen. If possible, avoid opening your windows at night and early in the morning since that is when pollen counts are high. If you open your windows during this time, allergens will get into your home, making you experience allergic reactions.
3. Do Not Open Your Windows When It Is Windy
Wind can easily transfer pollutants from one place to another. That is why pollutants in the outdoor space usually increase during windy days. To ensure that these pollutants do not get into your indoor space, you should keep your windows closed on warm, windy days.
4. Turn On Your Air Purifier Whenever You Open Your Windows
An air purifier can help improve your indoor air quality by sanitizing your indoor air. This device usually traps some of the pollutants available in the indoor air. It also sanitizes other particles available in this air by emitting negative ions that attract positive ions in the air, neutralizing them. Some of the particles that an air purifier can help get rid of are pet dander, mold, dust mites, pollen, and smoke. You need to switch this device on immediately after opening your windows. That will help ensure that any pollutants that get in after opening your windows get removed from your indoor space.
5. Open Your Window for Fifteen Minutes Only If You Live in a Highly Polluted Area
You may be tempted to leave your windows open all night long, especially if the indoor temperature is high. However, you should not do this if you live near big cities, busy roads, or manufacturing industries. Pollutants from the neighboring cities or industries will get into your home if you leave your windows open. Therefore, leave them open only for 15minutes if you really need to open your windows.
6. Always Open Your Windows After 9.00 Pm or Before 10.00 Am
You should never open your windows between 10.00 am and 9.00 pm because the amount of pollutants is usually high during this period. However, during pollen seasons, avoid opening windows early in the morning since that is when pollen concentration in the air is high.
7. Avoid Opening Windows that Face Busy Streets or Roads
You should avoid opening windows that face busy roads. Vehicles passing through these roads usually emit harmful gasses. These gasses can flow through open windows into your home, polluting your indoor air.
8. Open Windows Located at the Opposite Sides of Rooms
If your home has windows that are situated opposite each other, you should open them simultaneously. That will help ensure that clean air from the outdoor space flows into your indoor space through one of these windows. Dirty air from your indoor space will flow out through the other window. In short, opening both of these windows will promote cross ventilation.
9. Early in the Day, Open Windows facing the South and East Sides
Before 10.00 am, you should open windows facing the south and east sides. The cool breeze from the south side will flow through these windows into your indoor space. This breeze will keep circulating in your indoor space.
10. In the Evening, Open Windows Facing the North and West Sides
Open windows to face the north and west sides after 9 pm. That will help ensure that clean air keeps circulating in your indoor space. It will also help ensure that your home is well lit.
11. If Your Home is a Two-Story Building, Always Leave Windows On the Upper Floor Open
According to research, hot air usually rises. It means if your home is a two-story building, the indoor temperature on the upper floor is likely to be high. Therefore, you need to leave the windows situated on the upper floor open for long periods. You should also have ventilation grills installed in these windows. At We Care Plumbing, Heating and Air, we can help you install these grills. We offer services to Murrieta, Temecula, and Orange, CA residents.
The Best IAQ Team
We Care Plumbing, Heating, and Air offers AC services, IAQ maintenance, and heating services. Some of the services that we offer are shower repair, toilet repair, faucet repair, faucet installation, and tankless water heater installation services. We have been serving residents of Southern California and surrounding areas for more than 20 years, and we will be more than glad to serve you.
Related Articles
Healthy Indoor Air
Why Is Air Quality Testing So Important?
Indoor Air Quality During the Winter: Tips for a Healthy Home
How Air Scrubbers Can Help You Breathe Easier
The Ultimate Guide to Air Purification vs. Air Filtration
Dry Air and Cracked Skin: Indoor Humidity and Your Home Comfort
How Can Air Balancing Help with Hot and Cold Spots?
Author Bio: Rusty Cochran
Rusty Cochran is the President of We Care Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning. We Care began humbly, operating in his family’s living room. Under Rusty’s strong leadership, We Care has grown from 2 employees to over 200 employees. We Care Plumbing, Heating and Air has gained recognition across the HVAC industry, receiving numerous awards and certifications, including being named the ACCA Contractor of the Year, The Map Presidential Award several times, Angie’s List Super Service Award, NATE certification, and multiple Dave Lennox Awards. LinkedIn Profile
