The only way keeping doors and windows closed makes inside the house cooler than outside, is if the house is already cooler than the outside. Hence my point about insulation.
That's just common sense, surely? If you have windows and doors closed and no/little air coming in, then the only way the house can be cooler inside, is if it was already cooler in the first place. There's nothing coming in or out the house to make it any cooler, ergo it must have been cooler to begin with. That isn't even science.
Well that's true it isn't science.
Nighttime temperatures are lower than the day so in the morning the ambient temperature of inside and outside is low.
During the day the outside temperature rises dramatically due to the sun.
If the house is well insulated and the windows are shut and curtains drawn.
Then the house won't get heated by the suns rays or by the air temperature outside.
Therefore it will remain cooler than outside unless a heating source is on the inside.
And that is science.
A fan with windows closed will just recirculate all the warm air that is already in the room - why would anyone want that?
Nevertheless, it works. Some parts of the room will be cooler than others; the fan will redistribute that. The layer of warm air next to your skin will be blown away, making it feel cooler. The air flow will also evaporate any perspiration more effectively, also cooling you down.
Try this experiment: blow hard on the back of your hand. Does it feel cool, despite your breath actually being warmer than the skin on your hand?
We have our windows closed but the back door open so we get fresh air in but if one of us is suffering with hayfever the door is closed too.
Our cat has also been known to jump out of our first floor bedroom window onto the bay and then get stuck so that's another reason to keep the closed. I do often have the bedroom windows open on the locked open setting and from outside they look shut.
When it is really hot we keep our Venetian blinds closed and it does keep the rooms cooler.
Bit of a trivial thread but I thought I'd ask because it genuinely baffles me. It's been so warm recently and where I live the majority of windows are firmly shut. I've also noticed it in other residential areas when walking past. Why wouldn't you want to let the fresh air into your home, especially in this weather?
I am one of those people
I do not want Harry the big hairy back in my house again! :eek: Or evil wasps!
Creepy crawlies get in through open windows, my husband and I have quite serious arguments over my "issues" about opening windows.
This past week we've been treated to the greatest hits of Rod Stewart basically on loop; by six in the day they all seem to be pissed drunk and singing on the top of their voices to the Copacabana. The house isn't generally sweltering hot, if I had my way id be in peace and I wouldn't be killing bluebottles left right and centre either!
Unfortunately for me, my old dad has a very old school view of seasons. Come May, every window in the house will be opened and pushed out full, the back door will be open all day every day and will stay that way until September, regardless of the weather. There's been years I've come home to find him out the back with his sunglasses on and the sky would be grey. According to him, it is summer now, and we will enjoy the summer now, regardless of the fact that this is Ireland
I keep mine shut as i I don't want bee's and wasps flying in . I loath them and so I would rather melt than wake up to one of them buzzing in my curtains . But in the winter I like a window open .
Tesa Mosquito nets from amazon are a god send. Stretch completely over the window - even velux roof windows. Then you can just leave them to make their own way back out or if the buzzing annoys you give them a flick.
Won't stop the spiders as they're already in, but everything else is kept out
I've never known my next door neighbour to open any of the windows in the seven or eight years she's lived there. She has an ensuite shower room. Chatting to her a while back she mentioned getting a lot of condensation in her house. Can't imagine why.
I live alone and on the ground floor and I'm scared someone comes in and steals me. Worse than that would be if a jenny longlegs came in, I'd have to move out.
I keep mine closed and my mum is often shaking her head at me and questioning how I cope with the heat.
Firstly, it's hardly ever that hot here let's face it, secondly I don't want bugs getting in (call me a wimp, but I hate flies, wasps, moths etc), thirdly it feels risky in terms of potential burglars and fourth I feel like I don't have much privacy with them open because I can hear everything my neighbours are doing outside, so I know they can hear me, my music, etc.
Combination of really bad hayfever and the windows being double doors opening out onto a main road albeit behind a flimsy fence which kids are always walking around as well as history of burglaries. So we manage with using air fans and opening windows in the kitchen if someone is in there at all time.
I have an Indian colleague who says that in her homeland it's not the done thing to have windows open, even in hot weather and there are people at home. She says there would be a strong likelihood of intruders so anyone who can afford it has air conditioning rather than open the windows at all. Interesting.
I haven't had my windows open all the time during this weather, as my house is quite cold regardless of the outside temperature. Obviously it's warmed up a lot since winter when the cold was pretty horrendous (ok, that's an exaggeration but I had to wear gloves to use the computer it was so cold), but even so it's not particularly warm inside. I always open my window for a while to let some fresh air circulate but wouldn't make a point of keeping it open all day because it really isn't hot enough inside. That said, I've been trying to spend more time out while the weather's been nice so wouldn't have it open then anyway as I don't live in a particularly nice area.
Bit of a trivial thread but I thought I'd ask because it genuinely baffles me. It's been so warm recently and where I live the majority of windows are firmly shut. I've also noticed it in other residential areas when walking past. Why wouldn't you want to let the fresh air into your home, especially in this weather?
Because every one is at work and we got our house broken in to in Feb.
I leave lights on as well, and a big dog at home. But he can't shut windows.
There are dogs at the back that like to yap a lot in the early mornings. They seem to think they're roosters. There is also my neighbour who is annoying, as well as her grandkids when they come over. Luckily when in my room I don't hear the annoying neighbour but I can hear the grandchildren.
Also my door doesn't actually shut (unless I lock it) so any slight wind and the door keeps bumping.
Some people may also fear spiders and want to keep them out, and other unwanted creatures.
When I'm awake and doing things most of these aren't as much of a problem, and I can at least open the little window. If I'm in bed, though, sometimes the little window can open but too often I can't have windows open. I'm a light sleeper, too, so the noise can be a problem..
Yes, Yes, No(on the 2nd floor), Yes :mad:, plus I don't want to be invaded again by squirrels - being woken up by two of them landing on me whilst either fighting or engaged in some kinda mating ritual, well it ain't my preferred wake up call.
Comments
Well that's true it isn't science.
Nighttime temperatures are lower than the day so in the morning the ambient temperature of inside and outside is low.
During the day the outside temperature rises dramatically due to the sun.
If the house is well insulated and the windows are shut and curtains drawn.
Then the house won't get heated by the suns rays or by the air temperature outside.
Therefore it will remain cooler than outside unless a heating source is on the inside.
And that is science.
Nevertheless, it works. Some parts of the room will be cooler than others; the fan will redistribute that. The layer of warm air next to your skin will be blown away, making it feel cooler. The air flow will also evaporate any perspiration more effectively, also cooling you down.
Try this experiment: blow hard on the back of your hand. Does it feel cool, despite your breath actually being warmer than the skin on your hand?
Our cat has also been known to jump out of our first floor bedroom window onto the bay and then get stuck so that's another reason to keep the closed. I do often have the bedroom windows open on the locked open setting and from outside they look shut.
When it is really hot we keep our Venetian blinds closed and it does keep the rooms cooler.
I am one of those people
I do not want Harry the big hairy back in my house again! :eek: Or evil wasps!
Creepy crawlies get in through open windows, my husband and I have quite serious arguments over my "issues" about opening windows.
Harry and his family don't come in through the windows.. they're inside already...:eek:
:eek::eek:
They usually only come to see you while your sleeping:eek:
I also live on a ground floor flat on quite a busy road.
Unfortunately for me, my old dad has a very old school view of seasons. Come May, every window in the house will be opened and pushed out full, the back door will be open all day every day and will stay that way until September, regardless of the weather. There's been years I've come home to find him out the back with his sunglasses on and the sky would be grey. According to him, it is summer now, and we will enjoy the summer now, regardless of the fact that this is Ireland
Tesa Mosquito nets from amazon are a god send. Stretch completely over the window - even velux roof windows. Then you can just leave them to make their own way back out or if the buzzing annoys you give them a flick.
Won't stop the spiders as they're already in, but everything else is kept out
Firstly, it's hardly ever that hot here let's face it, secondly I don't want bugs getting in (call me a wimp, but I hate flies, wasps, moths etc), thirdly it feels risky in terms of potential burglars and fourth I feel like I don't have much privacy with them open because I can hear everything my neighbours are doing outside, so I know they can hear me, my music, etc.
Because every one is at work and we got our house broken in to in Feb.
I leave lights on as well, and a big dog at home. But he can't shut windows.
We let the breeze flow when we are at home.
Yes..
Also my door doesn't actually shut (unless I lock it) so any slight wind and the door keeps bumping.
Some people may also fear spiders and want to keep them out, and other unwanted creatures.
When I'm awake and doing things most of these aren't as much of a problem, and I can at least open the little window. If I'm in bed, though, sometimes the little window can open but too often I can't have windows open. I'm a light sleeper, too, so the noise can be a problem..
Yes, Yes, No(on the 2nd floor), Yes :mad:, plus I don't want to be invaded again by squirrels - being woken up by two of them landing on me whilst either fighting or engaged in some kinda mating ritual, well it ain't my preferred wake up call.