Ventilating house v conserving heat

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With energy costs being so high I think we are now more conscious than ever about keeping our heating costs down. But we are also always told about how important it is to ventilate our houses - particularly period properties - to avoid condensation etc. How do you reconcile the two?

The back downstairs of my Victorian terrace is prone to damp and condensation so I am quite paranoid about this and have just opened the back door to get some fresh air - but I can feel all the lovely expensive heat escaping!

Have you got vents on your windows? I keep these open for a little bit of air flow. Try a dehumidifier at the back of the house and wipe off any condensation every morning.

We try and only open the windows for short periods, or longer ones when the heating is off anyway during the day or when it's milder. Also use a dehumidifier through the winter months. Use the extractor fan in the kitchen every time we cook on the hob.

I don’t have air vents but I do have a good dehumidifier, which I do use.

I was just a bit puzzled as some people claim to always have a window open - which goes against all energy efficiency advice. But then again some people on mumsnet claim to not need much heating and be always sweltering!!! Sadly I feel the cold so need heating.

In our last house we always had the bathroom window fully open or open a crack, and the bedroom window too. Both were the smaller windows at the top. Heating was on for a couple of hours a day and we have electric blankets and fleece bedding on beds.

In our current house we have triple glazing, but only large side windows which make it too chilly to be permanently open in winter. I open them for fresh air in the mornings, and wipe up condensation on the glass.

Been wondering about this, have the heating in in the morning first thing but there is still some condensation to be wiped away. I don’t want to then open the windows to let out the warmth I’ve just been paying for! But lots of places saying that ventilation is as important as heating to stop mould and condensation.

Open the windows when the heating isn’t on. Mid morning or early afternoon I open windows wide either side of the house to air the whole house through for 20 mins. We only use heating a little in the morning and again once everyone is back from school.

We always open bathroom window after a shower and kitchen if we've got a few saucepans on the go. If I'm going to open other windows, I do it around 2pm as warmest part of day and humidity lower outside at that time. Have to admit I only open windows slightly.

Funnily enough the only windows that have mould are the two closest to the cat flap, which is a form of ventilation in itself. This room is also our lounge with an overpowered radiator.

We worked this through yesterday. We're going to open the windows 11-12, and have the heating on for an hour then. We work from home.

If you work outside the home, a small high window left open all day would do it. Close it when you come in and turn on the heating.

Basically let the fresh air in before the heating comes on. Maybe even overnight!

I would never purchase a period property having grown up in one regardless of how lovely they look. Because they are a PITA the heat.

I am in a 1920’s build, it has cavity wall insulation and decent double glazing. We do have windows open upstairs all the time.The heating is on in the morning for an hour and in the evening with the thermostat set to 19. I have really thick lined curtains in the bedroom so the window is open a little with the curtains shut in the winter upstairs. The windows downstairs are open in the day until it gets dark.

Because some windows are open 24/7 I have never had condensation. We have shut all the windows once when outside hit minus 17.

We ventilate for a couple of hours daily unless it rains. Some windows are always left open unless we are out for the day. A well ventilated house is drier and doesn't feel as cold as a damp house I find.

I open everything in the morning, then close up later and light the fire when the kids come home.

My heating (when on the timer) comes on 7-8am. On waking, everyone karchers their windows. The bathroom window is permanently open a crack, or wider when someone showers, then shut the door after to give the condensation time to go. Bedroom windows are then opened approx 10am-2pm. Heating then comes on again 4-6pm.

Washing is on the airers in the living room, which has a vent and is fairly far from the bedrooms due to a weird layout.

We don't have a proper dehumidifier, but each room (and my wardrobe) has the little mini plastic type.

So far <touch wood> no mould. The front bedrooms are north facing and are particularly prone to it.

I was struggling with condensation, felt like quite possibly the same damp was evaporating off the windows back into the house. I got a window vacuum from an independent local shop for £20 (so the best bargains are not always on Amazon!). I'm chuffed to bits. House feels drier. I'd still ventilate a bit, but don't need as much to have the house feel dry.

When is freezing outside I have heating on for an hr in early morning. Then its off til 6pm. In the middle I’m either out, or moving round with housework, or under a blanket and warm cat. Somewhere around middayish if its not raining I open all the windows and doors and let the breeze blow all the old air / condensation away. Keep open for around ten minutes. House freezing but fresh.

Dehumidifier also helps we love it.

@Namechangeforthis88 a window vac is a great idea! I associate them with cleaning rather than sucking up condensation. Do they really work or do you still have to follow up with a cloth?

We are in flats and can't set a timer for the heating, only have thermostats (without numbers!) in the living room and bedrooms. Bedrooms are turned right down, ours all the time and DC overnight. I air the flat for 15-30 minutes after lunch.

@Mumsanetta window vacuum works well.

@SecondaryPreparation thank you, going to purchase one!

@Mumsanetta you would get a smidge more with a cloth but it's tiny. I saw a review that said you can't get to the bottom of the pane because the sill is in the way, I found mine works upside down and sideways so not an issue. I reckon they all would work upside down.

@Namechangeforthis88 but then you have to dry the cloth rather than tipping the water down the drain! So I think overall it's better with the vacuum.

Ancient house. We light the fires. No condensation despite the windows being metal and single glazed. Humidity indoors is 44%.

@SecondaryPreparation absolutely, that's what I'm loving about the vaccum, I meant after you've vacuumed you might be able to get a smidge more with a cloth. If it was a reasonable day I would then chuck the cloth on a sheltered outdoor window ledge or even peg it out. If it stays indoors to dry then you've wasted your time.

Very very old house. It breathes by itself due to the materials its made of.

Using the wrong materials (cement) creates damp by stopping the breathing.

However you can cheerfully insulate, have double glazing etc as long as you use appropriate materials.

I do open the bathroom window after a shower though.

It is a conundrum as they are opposites to each other. So we need to insulate the walls to conserve heat but we also need to open windows to reduce moisture. I remember reading that cavity wall insulation caused mould and sometimes had to be taken out if not done properly. Roofs need to breathe too and that yellow foam stuff that sone people use to block up holes in roof cavity results in a damp roof which causes all sorts of problems.
I personally use temporary solutions like door / window draft excluders that I can take away rather than a more permanent solution that might cause me more problems in the long run.