Why You Need To Embrace Germany's Open-Window Practice This Winter For Fresher Indoor Air

Living in a cold climate during the winter brings with it a number of unique challenges. While you might be aware of some of the things you ought to be doing during the winter — like shoveling snow regularly — chances are that opening your windows with freezing outdoor temps never crossed your mind. Interestingly enough, though, many Germans view opening their windows daily as a non-negotiable–even in the winter. The practice is known as lüften ("ventilate" in English) and involves opening the windows of your home every day in order to ensure that there is an exchange of air: the stale, dirty indoor air goes out and is replaced by fresh air from the outdoors. If this practice is giving you anxiety about electric bills, don't worry; there's actually good data behind why you should embrace this ritual.

Though there's a lot to love about wintertime, it's undeniable that indoor air quality can suffer during the colder months of the year. Many energy-conscious individuals do all that they can to handle any drafts prior to winter and might be seen rushing to close a door after coming in from the outdoors. While this fixation on keeping your home climate-controlled is understandable, you run the risk of building up pollutants in the air. Fortunately, the German practice of airing out your home can help guarantee that you'll be breathing fresher air. If you're interested in trying the winter version of ventilating your home (called Stoßlüften), you'll only need a few minutes to keep a loose eye on the clock.

At its face, lüften is a simple practice in which Germans open their homes' windows each day. In the summer, this looks like leaving them cracked for hours on end to reap the rewards of fresh air. In the winter, however, the approach is more strategic, aimed at getting the bad air out and the good air in — all without raising energy costs significantly. Begin by going around your house and opening all of your home's windows fully, which will provide the best airflow and transfer of indoor and outdoor air. Now, set your timer for several minutes. On a windy day, windows need to be open for about three minutes, but if you are dealing with a still, winter day, you may keep them ajar for five to 10 minutes before closing them back up.

While you may find that the air in your home feels a bit chillier following a Stoßlüften session, the limited amount of time that the indoors are exposed to outdoor temperatures is short enough to keep all of the walls, floors, and furnishings from getting frigid. This means that it will take limited energy and time to get your home back to your ideal indoor temp. For those wanting to benefit fully from this practice, it can be wise to ventilate your home with this method two to three times a day to reduce musty odors, condensation, and allergens (although once a day is better than none). If maintaining pristine air quality is on your wishlist this winter, trying your hand at this foreign practice could be a no-brainer.