Are you wondering what is important for proper ventilation in the summer? We tell you how to create the perfect indoor climate!
If you want a good indoor climate, then you need to ventilate. But correctly. Your behavior must be adjusted to the outside temperature.
Therefore, different rules apply in winter than in the summer months.
Mold easily forms in the apartment due to incorrect ventilation. To make sure that doesn't happen to you, we'll tell you the best tricks here. And how proper ventilation actually works in the summer.
But first, some basic info.
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In summer, the humidity is much higher. If you open the window in hot temperatures, you let moist and warm air into the room.
That's why it's really not easy to get the perfect indoor climate, especially in summer. What you need is an ideal temperature and at the same time the right room humidity. Whereby the ideal humidity is different in every room.
Tip: With a hydrometer you always have an overview of how high the humidity is. So you see immediately when it's time to ventilate. You can order a hydrometer from Amazon.
How to properly ventilate safely in the summer
When the sun shines on the building all day, the interiors warm up quickly. It is also hot outside. So simply opening the windows without a plan makes little sense. Because then you bring even more stuffy and humid air inside.
In order for you to get a load of fresh air without a lot of moisture, there are a few things you need to pay attention to.
- Open the windows only when the outside temperature is low. So in the early morning hours, just after sunrise between 5 and 6 o'clock. Or in the late evening, when the sun has already set.
- Open the windows completely. This is the only way to let as much cool and dry air as possible into the room. Tilted windows are not an alternative - no air exchange can take place!
- Make sure there is a draft. Open all windows and doors as much as possible or at least the windows opposite. If a room does not have two windows, open the door to the next room and then the next window. This will create a draft that will move the warm and humid air in the room outside.
- If you want to properly ventilate in the summer, leave the windows open for 20 to 25 minutes and then close them tightly.
You have no way to provide a draft? Then a powerful fan can help. Place it near the window. This way, it blows the humid air outside, which creates a suction that pulls the dry air inside.
Tip: A tower fan does not consume much space and looks stylish at the same time. The device from Pro Breeze has 3 speed levels, a timer and a remote control. You can order the tower fan from Amazon.
How to improve the indoor climate in 4 easy steps!
Why tilted windows and proper ventilation in the summer do not go together
Close the windows after airing. Tilting during the day is not a good idea! Because then the muggy summer air gets into the apartment. The air in the room becomes humid and stuffy. And you encourage mold growth.
A quick and complete air exchange is always the better solution!
If you ventilate before going to bed, you can then leave the windows tilted overnight. This is because the humidity drops during the night. In the morning, it is best to ventilate again and then close everything well.
By the way, it is just as pointless to open the window on hot days with the shutters down. You get neither fresh nor dry air.
Tip: An ultrasonic humidifier cools down the room pleasantly with cold water vapor. You can easily set the maximum humidity. The device can be ordered in the online store.
Why airing in the summer is so complicated
For physical reasons, warm air absorbs more moisture than cold air. This means that humidity is always many times higher in summer than in winter. Not only in our rooms, but also outdoors.
However, our living spaces do not care whether it is summer or winter. They need the right humidity so that it does not begin to mold.
Despite ventilation, it can often be that the humidity and temperature do not drop. An air conditioning system can help. It dehumidifies the air and thus ensures a pleasant indoor climate. You can order air conditioners for rooms up to 110m² at Amazon.
Mold loves damp and stale air.
That is why there are guideline values that help with orientation.
The following applies to the humidity in the living room, work room, bedroom
- 40-60% is the ideal value.
- in summer it is 55-60%
- Too high it is from over 60%
For the humidity in the bathroom applies
- 50-70% is the ideal value.
- in summer it is 65-70%
- Too high it is from over 70%
The following applies to the humidity in the kitchen
- 50-60% is the ideal value
- in summer it is 58-60%
- Too high it is from over 60%
For the humidity in the basement applies
- 50-65% is the ideal value
- in summer it is 60-65%
- Too high it is from over 65%
By the way, living rooms are all rooms where you spend a lot of time, such as bedrooms, guest rooms, living rooms, study rooms and dining rooms.
How you need to ventilate the basement in the summer
The biggest mistakes happen when ventilating the basement. If you open the windows and doors here too often, then the problem with moisture worsens.
The cold walls in the basement condense and become damp. A found food for the mold.
Even if there is a musty smell in the basement, you should only ventilate it when the humidity outside is significantly lower than in the room.
Also, it should be at least 5 ° less outside than in the basement.
The same applies here: ventilate for 20 minutes and then immediately close everything again.
Tips against stuffy air in the heat
We now know that when properly ventilate in the summer, the windows should be closed during the day. But what can you do when the air in the room stands and breathing is already almost difficult?
- Grab sheets and make them wet. Hang them in front of windows and doors. As they dry, they remove heat from the air. The room cools down. You can reinforce the effect with a fan.
- The more sun that enters the room, the more it heats up. So with windows on the south side, you always have to lower the shutters. In the best case, you have some that are attached to the outside of the window.
- Turn off all electrical appliances that are not in use. It is best to disconnect them from the power supply.
- Remove heavy carpets and curtains. They store heat.
How a hydrometer can help
A hydrometer measures the humidity in its environment. It is best to place it a little away from the window in the room so that the result is not distorted. With a quick glance, you can see if the temperature and humidity are in the green zone. Or whether it is time to ventilate.
It is worthwhile to purchase a hydrometer. Then you know if your plan with proper ventilation in the summer works or if you are doing something wrong.
But it doesn't help much if you only have one. For proper ventilation, the conditions outside must be right. It doesn't help much if it's too humid in the room, but even more humid outside, and you then let this air into the room. That only makes things worse.
Therefore, you should place a second hydrometer outside. This way you can see how the humidity is behaving and if it is a good time to open the windows.
Our conclusion
When it's warm outside, you shouldn't leave the windows tilted all day. Here the air is the most humid and favors mold.
Set on shock ventilation in the morning or late evening 20 to 25 minutes are optimal. The best way to do this is to create a draught and let the stale air out of the apartment.
If the outdoor temperature and humidity at night are below the room temperature, you can leave the window tilted.
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