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The_Road_is_Calling t1_jb9nuop wrote

There is nothing more glorious than the first warm days after winter and before the bugs have come out.

Every window in the house open, basking in the freshness.

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truthswillsetyoufree t1_jb9rp2r wrote

This is almost a haiku. You could try tweaking it to fit the 5-7-5 structure. It would be good poetry. Something like:

Every window in / the house open basking in / the new spring freshness

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AMC4x4 t1_jbdez8r wrote

And that's the day my neighbor decides to gather up all the yard waste - including wet leaves - and burn it, because it's so nice out and he wants to get a jump on the yard work. Ah, the smell of damp things burning throughout the house.

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_jb9geq9 wrote

Check out Youtube videos on lüften - Germans have this nailed down for you.

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yahhhguy t1_jb9k9tg wrote

The best part about German is that they have a specific word for everything. “I’ve been sick for two weeks, it’s March and I want to air out my house” oh you mean keinerluftenmarzflasche?

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Icy-Neck-2422 t1_jb9liyc wrote

Time to visit das Krankenhaus.

It's a great language for sure!

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beyond_hatred t1_jb9vesy wrote

I lol'd.

That's the benefit of having a language where you just append words to each other until you get the word you're looking for.

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soullessgingerlol t1_jb9jj3f wrote

I do it every year once the temp warms up to like 40 or 50. I do a deep clean of my house and while I'm working away, the windows are all open. I can't justify doing it when it's colder as I use 1 pellet stove to heat my whole house, heat is precious, but as soon as it's warm enough those windows are open! I can't stand the stuffiness!

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BackItUpWithLinks t1_jb9h3ug wrote

When I put the dogs out I generally leave the front door open for 5-10 min

  1. So they can come back in
  2. To move some air around the kitchen
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KrissaKray t1_jb9oe3j wrote

I do this too! On the "warmer" days though. If it's below freezing, that gets a big no from me.

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BackItUpWithLinks t1_jb9qxar wrote

The only time I don’t do it is if it’s raining and I want to wipe the dogs down before they come in.

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Viking603 t1_jb9l8kb wrote

I do it every time the temp is above 45°for a few hours. Open all the windows and let the air move. It's a very healthy thing to do.

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twd000 t1_jb9mc33 wrote

I’m having a Heat Recovery Ventilator installed in my new house for continuous ventilation 24/7

Indoor air quality can be really poor whenever a house is closed up, especially with gas appliances running

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Whynotyours t1_jb9zs4v wrote

We installed one a few years ago. It really helps keep the stale air and kitchen odors away.

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Tu13es t1_jb9ybnp wrote

Can I ask how much it's going to run you?

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twd000 t1_jba6ztz wrote

was quoted ~$4500 upgrade cost to add it to new construction build

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bluecollarNH t1_jbb6lxx wrote

I do hvac for a living. Obviously I don't know any particulars, but you got an average price. Not low, not high.

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Lumpyyyyy t1_jb9lldo wrote

I make sure to open windows on opposite sides of the house to make sure I get some cross flow

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4eyedcc t1_jb9nfot wrote

Once the temps hit 50 degrees during the day I’ll shut off the radiators and open the windows for awhile everyday if we’re home. I hate stale air!

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sonarblips t1_jb9loiz wrote

As soon as it hits 50 degrees, bang! Windows and doors open! Feels so good after a long winter :)

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samberlin t1_jb9irgj wrote

I do this a lot (but I really think it just stems from habit at this point, grew up with the idea that houses have to be “aired out”) when it’s cold and windy, I open the big sliding door and windows with screens for a good 10-15 minutes to really let the breeze in. On a normal day a good half/hour hour. I don’t do it everyday though, sorta just when I feel like it needs it be done

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A_Man_Who_Writes t1_jb9wfom wrote

It’s called “spring cleaning.” As soon as the temps rise above 50 and the sun comes out I try to open the windows as much as I can.

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trimolius t1_jb9uow0 wrote

I kind of hesitate to open windows because I feel like it’s just going to let in more dust and allergens that I have to clean. Am I the Asshole?

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spaetzleundkase t1_jbay43c wrote

I’m allergic to more that is outside than I am inside. I just turn on the AC to filter the air and get it moving!

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GonzoTheGreat22 t1_jb9kxln wrote

I guess the first weekend it’s 50+ out we just run all the windows and screen doors open for the afternoon. Not sure if the health benefits, but anecdotally it feels soooooooo fucking good to invite spring into your home and push winter stale air out.

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StWilVment t1_jb9lqtk wrote

I use plastic on my windows in the winter to help with drafts. I’ve been constantly thinking about removing them, but I think I’ll wait another couple weeks. But as soon as April hits I will be opening those windows, believe me!

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SheeEttin t1_jba0gy5 wrote

I packed my window cracks with that clay caulk stuff. It's effective, and you can remove and replace it on those warm days! It's still a hassle but not as much as plastic.

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powpowpowpowpowp t1_jb9ly9q wrote

Never aired out my place as you described, but I do get bad indoor allergies. My approach is changing the furnace filter at least every 3 months, vacuuming at least weekly, and running a HEPA air filter in my bedroom and office.

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slayermcb t1_jb9t95k wrote

Absolutely. It's a spring tradition!

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wilbtown t1_jb9ua2k wrote

Shut off the heat, open all windows, and let the cold air blow through. I open everything at least 2x per week.

It has to be above 25 degrees. (Edit for temp)

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akmjolnir t1_jb9z5ef wrote

Counterpoint: I bought a few air purifiers with the activated charcoal/HEPA filters, and built-in UV lights, and put them in bedrooms and the home office.

When it's sunny out I crack the doors to let the fresh air in.

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northhiker1 t1_jba9h9p wrote

Hepa filters are a great idea! UV lights are nothing more than a gimmick in the consumer level though FYI, the bulbs need to be changed out like every 6 months which no one on the consumer level does

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bb_muffin2112 t1_jb9i2ik wrote

Air it out air it out air it out try cleaning your place.

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Oakley7677 t1_jb9mb5x wrote

Yes. It depends. Open the windows, turn off the heat.

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kitchinsink t1_jb9neu1 wrote

Yes. I don't think it's necessary, since I have a bunch of air purifiers in the house, so I probably make things worse for myself. However, I can't resist. That fresh air smell is divine.

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Hot-Consequence t1_jb9rpya wrote

Once it gets to be about 40-45ish i open all the windows during the day (while i'm at work and nobody is in the house)...

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New_Sun6390 t1_jb9xner wrote

If it's nice, I open a couple windows and air it out. Heat gets turned down during the process to keep dollars from blowing out the window. Will also do it after someone's been sick. Just makes the whole place smell fresher.

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LemonLimeRose t1_jba40b4 wrote

I try to air out the house a few times a week. I put a small fan in the window to pull in fresh air at one end, and turn on every fan in the house. I set a timer for myself, and only do about 5-10 minutes, but I feel like fresh air in the house makes everything feel better!

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beadlecat t1_jba859l wrote

I’ve been doing it 15 min everyday it’s 30 or higher. Makes a huge difference.

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VinsonChe90 t1_jbad47n wrote

I air my house out at least once a month

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Baremegigjen t1_jbafj4j wrote

We open the bedroom windows every day if it’s not snowing or raining or very warm.

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movdqa t1_jbah3o5 wrote

We take a week to 10 days to clean the house out in the spring and will start working on this in about 2 weeks. We run HEPA filters on every floor which helps with dust and pollen. We will open the windows for fresh air but it's still heating season in my area with temperatures in the 20s at night.

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Liberatedhusky t1_jbapn9u wrote

You could have an HRV/ERV installed in your house. They essentially vent fresh air into and out of the house constantly but retain the heat from inside.

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ForklkftJones t1_jbarfdc wrote

I just open up the windows for an hour or so. I also use my steam cleaner to clean off the windows and the screens.

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Vi0lentByt3 t1_jbaspag wrote

I actually always have windows open year round to get fresh air in, even if it costs a bit more to heat the fresh air in the house is worth it, obviously do it more frequently in the summer

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Lords_of_Lands t1_jbbdovv wrote

I thought about it. I bought an air sensor which tracks a bunch of different things and airing out the house didn't have a meaningful impact on it.

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bostonkittycat t1_jbbe5qn wrote

I do it in spring and dust everything too.

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MusicalMerlin1973 t1_jbbn6yo wrote

If it’s a semi decent day or my wife will sure the heat off and open up. January was a good time for that this year.

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glockster19m t1_jbbxvri wrote

"this time of year"

Am I the only one that remembers getting a foot of snow 4 days ago?

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citizennsnipps t1_jbcbu5m wrote

I wait until April when the outside temp is close to where I keep my heat in the winter. Then again I have the windows open to air out for the bulk of spring.

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shi_guy36 t1_jbcvied wrote

Get an ERV, and you can have fresh air all year!

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Moxie07722 t1_jbd7ghu wrote

No, you are not alone. My parents would periodically open doors and windows during the winter to get rid of stale air.

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jondaley t1_jbdnn95 wrote

Once it is really warm we do that, but not as cold as most commenters have been saying.

We live in a Victorian, and when we moved in we got an energy audit (through nhsaves.com - rates are currently 75% off - you should do it, will definitely save you money) and all of our air left the house every 15 minutes, so no "freshening" needed.

Now that we've sealed up a bunch and insulated more, etc, I think we are up to one air change every 1.6 hours, so not too bad for a 140 year old house.

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Tenarius t1_jb9pw1f wrote

I installed an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) -- they're pretty inexpensive and having good indoor air quality year round is great. I stop it if the temps get under zero, but otherwise it runs every day. I recommend it if you have the room for two 4" holes in your wall.

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Tu13es t1_jb9ye2g wrote

Which one did you install?

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Tenarius t1_jb9yjdh wrote

Mine's from Carrier.

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Tu13es t1_jb9z2k0 wrote

Thanks. Did you self install or have it done? Mind sharing how much it ran?

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Tenarius t1_jberg9l wrote

Professional installation, ran ~3000ish. Hard to get exact # as I did a humidifier on the same job.

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kaskudoo t1_jbci2t8 wrote

Yeah you can do this anytime after of year. The word is Stoßlüften. 5 minutes or so and there oughta be a draft, so open windows and doors in a way that the air will flow. That being said we usually don’t. We have a forced air heating system and I change the filter twice a year/winter.

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GoldenSheppard t1_jbdtb4k wrote

The moment it hits roughly 55+ my windows will only close for pouring rain. Then when it hits 85, they slam shut and the air con is deployed.

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overdoing_it t1_jbebtol wrote

Not yet I haven't had any temps over 50, but I do crack a window every morning since the birds started singing.

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steelymouthtrout t1_jba79pn wrote

You're for real asking Reddit how to air out a house? Open doors and windows. Do we need to tell you what the next step is once you get cold?

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Jay_Derkin t1_jb9ggzc wrote

“Airing out” your house will do absolutely nothing for your health. If anything it will reduce it by letting in allergens from outside.

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natethegreek t1_jb9jg1v wrote

The fact that you spout this without any idea of the situation shows just how useless this statement is.

EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) studies found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas.

Source: Guide to indoor air quality

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