Improve indoor air quality (IAQ) with this time-honored German tradition.
In between air filter changes, there’s a growing trend called “house burping” that advocates say can help refresh your home in a hurry — while providing some health benefits.
The practice stems from a century-old German tradition called “lüften,” which translates to “airing out.” The concept is simple: Briefly open your home’s windows and doors to let fresh air circulate, flushing out stale indoor air and letting in fresh outdoor air.
Instead of cracking a window slightly all day, which wastes energy and raises your PSE bill, “burping” involves opening opposing windows or doors to create a rapid, high-intensity cross-draft that circulates fresh air through the home for 5 to 15 minutes at a time.
It offers a few practical and health benefits:
- Improves air quality: Stale air, carbon dioxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from items like air fresheners and cleaning products can get trapped inside. Brief bursts of fresh air dilute these indoor contaminants.
- Reduces moisture: Trapped humidity from cooking, showering, and daily breathing can lead to mold and mildew (something we know about in the PNW).
- Clears bacteria and indoor allergens: Some circulating bacteria and dander can be reduced with a little ventilation.
Some people also enjoy briefly opening their windows on cold evenings to let the temperature drop for deeper sleep, as a cooler bedroom has been shown to improve sleep quality.
While indoor air quality experts generally agree that daily air exchange is healthy, it’s important to avoid overdoing it during extreme winter and summer stretches — letting in too much cold or hot air can force your HVAC equipment to work harder and drive up costs.
If you decide to give this easy home refresh a try, just remember the key to house burping is doing it in moderation and at optimal times, such as in the morning, right after cooking, or after a group of guests leaves.
Need help maintaining your indoor air quality? Try our filter replacement program, and get a new filter delivered to your doorstep every three months!