POLL: Windows open or not

[RiaG91]

This is just a post for a bit of fun, although hopefully it will also prove me right!

When it's hot outside, should you:

• open the windows to let "air" through the house

• close all windows and curtains

My partner completely disagrees with me on this point and we both think that we are right! Cue - the constant window opening/closing when we think the other won't notice!!

Close curtains when sun at that side of house, windows open always.

i know windows should be shut but I can’t bear stuffiness

Open windows when sun isn’t on that side of the house.

Unkess you have another means of ventilation houses get stale if you don’t open windows at some point in the day.

In the day time I like windows to be open to let the air flow. Curtains closed if needed when the sun is on that side of the house. At night everything must be closed to keep out burglars/bugs/monsters etc.

Open window and curtains except in the south facing loft conversion room 🥵 which gets blinks down over the Velux but I still open it. Blinds down in the living room too in the late afternoon/evening unless you want to fry. Love fresh air moving through the house regardless of the time of year!

Windows open before 8am, then closed and shaded the rest of the day. External doors closed too so you don't let the warmer air in.

Windows open, curtains and blinds shut on the sunny side.

Windows open all the time we're in the house (upstairs only at night). Curtains open during the day, closed at night, the way our house faces and the type of curtains we have means shutting them against the sun doesn't make much difference, they only get closed if someone is uncomfy with the sun in their eyes.

Also I hate the gloom of curtains/blinds shut during the day.

Open windows early in the morning and in the evening to let in cool air. Windows closed during the middle of the day so as not to let in warm air. Curtains closed on the sunny side of the house. Our house is on an east-west axis and the west facing rooms really get unbearable without the curtains closed.

Yep, us too. Love the draft

I never shut windows or curtains when it’s hot. It makes everything hotter.

curtains and windows wide open. I’m sure curtains are only shut to stop sunlight fading furnishings.

I’ve done some research into this! Apparently if it’s very hot, it makes no difference to the actual temperature but it feels marginally less unpleasant if there is some fresh air.

My strategy: windows and curtains shut on sunny side and open on shaded side.

Windows open, especially if you can get a through draft. But what really makes the difference is the ceiling fan to circulate the fresh air.

Windows stay closed here - my hayfever is killing me.

I do think that opening windows is more pleasant really so if neither of you has hayfever, then I'd go for opening the windows.

Curtains closed. Windows closed.
If its hotter outside than in opening windows just heats up the inside as hot air comes in the house. We use fans for a 'breeze'....
So I only open windows when it's cooler outside than in. (Overnight and first thin in the morning).
Although at the moment we can't open any windows as DS1s hayfever is off the charts.
Opening the loft hatch first thing in the morning to allow hot air to rise and escape through the roof works really well until its hotter outside than in.
Basic physics isn't it?!?!

Open

I prefer my windows open - house definitely feels cooler with them open. I'll open the front door too when I'm in.

Windows closed, blinds down

If the outside air temperature is higher than the inside, keep windows closed (and always keep curtains/blinds in direct sun closed.) Personally I would definitely keep windows closed above 28 degrees or so.

When it’s lower, open the windows - sometimes you have to wait for late evening for this.

When it's really hot, all doors and windows closed and curtains drawn by 9am. Open them again in the evening to air the house before bedtime. It feels counterintuitive but it does help.

me - all windows and doors (french windows, back door) open all day long. Our house never gets very hot, and I love the sounds and smells of summer wafting in. Can't abide curtains closed during the day. If we had shutters I woudl do the french thing of 3/4 shut shutters and windows open, but no the same with curtains.

dh - all doors and windows closed and curtains closed on sunny side of house.
To be fair, he gets terrible hayfever, and it was awful last week. In that really hot weather we had to sleep with window shut at night. I gave up and slept in lounge with windows open.

His study is upstairs and I work from dining room table, so we compromise on an upstairs/downstairs divide, but that does mean our bedroom is hot.

It might be basic physics but it feels much nicer having a draught from open windows and doors than having them shut even if it is hotter outside than in. I don't want fans on all day either. I do occasionally open the loft hatch for this reason but it's a drop down one and isn't very safe to leave open as it blocks acess to half the upstairs, also the cats go up and its a pain getting them down again.

All windows open all the time when it's warm. Curtains shut on side with sun on hot days. I can't bear a stuffy house, we have our bedroom window open a crack all year round unless it's abnormally cold.

Right now I have the patio door next to me open, and the window on the other side of the room so there's a through draught. Plus windows open upstairs to keep the air moving.

Windows open, breeze through house, all hot air leaves through loft windows. I have a considerable breeze up the stairs - it's lovely