Is airing our houses always a good idea?

Airing. So important is it that it is often even explicitly stated in our tenancy agreements.  British people also think the same. 4 out of 5 people think that "fresh air" from outside is the key to improving the air quality in their homes. But is it always a good idea to let the outside air in?  

Now a new study by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) shows that ventilation can actually lead to a deterioration in indoor air quality. In the research, UK homeowners shown to be ignoring the impact of pollution sources in the environment. More than half of the 2,000 households surveyed in the study even define fresh air simply as air coming from outside. Regardless of where they live, almost four-fifths of respondents believe that the air in their neighbourhood is very or fairly clean. This is also the opinion of about 75% of the study participants who live within a one-mile radius of a major road, railway station or industrial facility. Especially in the vicinity of such highly polluting infrastructures, however, ventilation could indeed prove to be counterproductive. Also often not considered are the negative effects that many products or household activities can have on the air quality in one's own four walls. These include not only mould, which is perceived as the main cause, but also cleaning products, fresh paint and wood burning or even toasting bread. 

"In many cases, homeowners are right to try to improve the air quality in their homes by opening a window" comments David Frise, Executive Director of BESA. However, it is vital that people understand the realities of the wider problem of air pollution. "For millions of households, ventilation could actually have a negative impact on the quality of the air in the home," Frise continues.  

The BESA study is part of an awareness campaign on the importance of indoor air quality. The published results are intended to make citizens aware of the direct impact of air pollution, while encouraging them to take simple measures. Recommended, for example, is monitoring air pollution in our environment.  

Of course, Britain is not an isolated case. In other countries too, windows are opened every day in the belief that this can only do good. Even though air quality is still considered "good" in most countries, Germany is definitely one of them. The experts' advice? Monitoring local pollution levels should become as natural as looking at the weather! Introducing more environmental zones or stricter rules could also reduce air pollution on one's own doorstep.