How long do you open your windows for this time of year?

[SpringMeadows]

If you are in the UK, how long do you open your windows for in the morning in winter? We have dogs and I leave them open (including the back door) for an hour or two, first thing in the morning. This is because I like to have fresh air in the house daily, but also because I'm rushing around during that time so don't go and shut them. WHen I get to my desk ready to work, I go around and close them. My DP would open them for 20 minutes and then turn the heating straight back on.

It's true that the house gets rather cold during the time the windows are open but are we supposed to live in a stuffy place? So I'd like to hear what others do. Thank you.

Small windows in bedroom and bathroom open slightly all winter. Small lounge window opened on some days as I childmind so it gets rid of the nappy smell!

all windows open for about 10 min mornings and evenings.

no air vents in windows (unknown where I am in forrin).

Apart from the bathroom and upstairs loo window, virtually never unless somebody has burnt something in the kitchen.

Bathroom windows and my bedroom window open year round unless there's strong winds forecast and then I'll close them. Must remember to close them tonight before the gales arrive here.

In the summer, downstairs windows open all day but closed at night and back door pretty much open all the time if I'm in. I don't particularly like having the heating on (although have to think of the other people in my house!) but turn it right down at night because I like a cool bedroom!

Yes we're the same. Bathroom and bedroom windows in loft space open a crack all day and all night. Kids trained to leave window open in bathroom while showering. All other windows have trickle vents at the top which are also open all the time.

Those of you who open windows for a good stretch, is your heating off at this time?

Our heating is never really off, it'll come on when the temperature of the room the thermostat is in, drops below a certain temperature, it's normally always in the lounge, but it can be moved around.

Windows are open here at the moment and it's windy, but the heating hasn't kicked in at all.

In the week we usually just open bathroom windows for about an hour during and after a shower. At the weekend I open my bedroom windows fully at the top of the house, for an hour or for about 20 minutes depending on how cold it is. I think 20 minutes is fine if windows are fully open, longer if just a crack.

I can't believe people leave their windows open for 6 hours when it's -1 😂🤯

Those of you who open windows for a good stretch, is your heating off at this time?

Yes, though occasionally a bathroom window may be open for a short time with heating on and the bathroom door closed to the rest of the house.

On a very cold day like we've had this week, around 20 minutes (cold air holds less moisture than warm air) but in a milder day like today, the bathroom window will be open all morning, if we're home.

Annoyingly I can't turn bathroom radiators off as they are the overflow ones.

I think it must be pretty uncommon to have windows open for more than half an hour or so in the winter. When going for a town walk, you never see this.

Never

we have a heatpump which heats the house 24/7 so would be very inefficient to open windows and let the heat out (is a nice ambient temperature, not “hot”)

I prob will from March or so onwards

Depends which windows. I don't notice anyone else with front sitting room or bedroom windows wide open but plenty with a front kitchen window open or small windows (the kind above a bigger window) open. Bathroom windows are often at the side of a house. My neighbour often has a back window half open to vape.

I also never see folks with their windows wide open in winter like mumsnet folks seems to do. Things like bathroom or kitchen cracked open a little sure, for a short period, but I’ve never seen anyone with all fheir windows wide open in winter , it costs too much to bring the house back up to temp for one.

it costs too much to bring the house back up to temp for one.

I open mine on weekend mornings when the house is already pretty cold. If we are staying in, I'll put the heating on for an hour afterwards. It's only timed to come on in the evening.

My energy bills are half the average so it's not costing much.

Never. This is clearly one of those weird mumsnet things that just doesn't fit with my experience of real life at all.

Bedroom window is open for hours. Depending on which direction the wind is coming from either the front door or back door is open from the minute i get up until i bother to close it, could be a hour or 8 hours. Due to the strong wind today the door was open for an hour.

If it was dry outside and DH was out then I’d open windows for a half hour once a week in the winter. The two things literally never seem to coincide though, so it doesn’t happen.

However, I certainly wouldn’t leave the heating on when the windows were open. What a massive waste to essentially be trying to heat the garden 😅And it does take some time of the boiler going full pelt to heat the house back up afterwards.

We are in a new build though, and have built in fans that are on low all the time in the kitchen and bathrooms. They are supposed to allow for an exchange of the full air volume of the house each day.

Open in the mornings when I'm off or a late while I do bits around the house, or leave them open while I walk the dogs then close when I get home, but on days when I'm 12hrs shift I don't open at all as I don't want to come home to a freezing house. Leave them on vent in warmer weather all day.
Bathroom windows opened after bath/shower until condensation gone or for as long as I can.
Can't really afford heating on apart from when we're getting showered for work and a couple of hours in the evening anyway so the house is cold regardless if one or both in all day.

Hardly ever. Can't remember the last time I had them open.

Kitchen window open or on the latch 24/7.
Bedroom windows open when the curtains are opened and stay open at least a few hours.
Shower room window opened for a bit after use as the bloody extractor has just broken.
Dining room window opened a few hours a day.

I live in an old 'breathable' solid house so the exchange of moist indoor air for fresh dry cold air is key to keeping it dry and mould-free, plus makes it easier to heat as dry air and walls are easier to heat.

This provides a good explanation of why it's important:
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/GDbMJvRpBzdbDHM2/?mibextid=UalRPS

People saying they're open all day year round - is your heating on at the same time?
No wonder so many folk are moaning about high energy bills!
I leave mine open overnight but the heating is off and when the heating comes on, I shut them.
Only the bathroom is left open a crack all morning, while the damp from morning showers dissipates.

10 mins every morning minimum. Again in afternoon if it’s sunny. It’s freezing but sunny right now so I have the window open another 10 mins as I’m out later.

We live somewhere it’s -12 today. I don’t like stale air and helps clear out germs. We see the co2 levels go up quickly if we down open, especially is we have visitors so more people in a room.

Where we live ‘kippen’ aka tilting your tilt and turn windows open every day is basically prescribed by doctors as a cure to all ailments.