UK homes told to keep windows slightly open in autumn despite cold snap

After months of keeping our windows firmly closed to keep out the summer heat and maintain cool homes, we’re now facing a complete change in advice as autumn arrives.

With the cooler weather setting in, many households will be turning on their heating systems and focusing on keeping the warmth inside, making the idea of opening windows seem entirely counter-intuitive.

However, problems arise when windows remain closed throughout the winter, leading to a rapid build-up of moisture within the home.

This isn’t just from drying clothes – although that’s often the main offender – but also from cooking, washing, and simply living and breathing, according to Yorkshire Live.

Moisture from these everyday activities accumulates in the air and, when trapped inside the house, can lead to mould, mildew, and damp as it has nowhere to escape, reports the Mirror.

Property maintenance experts suggest the simplest way to combat condensation-related damp is straightforward: slightly open a window.

Atlantis Property Preservation explains: “Condensation occurs when humid, warm air becomes trapped in your home and then meets a cold surface, like a window. Opening a window allows humid air to escape from your home, thus reducing condensation.

“If you don’t want to have one ajar all the time, try opening them after you’ve performed an activity that creates high levels of humidity, like cooking or showering. As well as opening a window, close doors to the rest of the house to stop humid air from moving into other rooms.”

The company also advises against drying damp clothing indoors (although sometimes there’s genuinely no alternative) and particularly warns against draping them over radiators.

It states: “Avoid hanging wet washing to dry inside the house, particularly on radiators, because the moisture from them escapes into the air. Instead, put them outside to dry whenever possible.

“As well as potentially causing serious damage to your home over time, untreated condensation problems can also pose a health hazard for you and your family, where toxic mould is allowed to form.

“There is some scientific evidence that homes with significant condensation issues have been linked to a higher risk of suffering health issues like allergies and other respiratory problems.”