Christmas is now widely associated with colds, flu, RSV and this year’s particularly persistent ‘super-flu’ is circulating rapidly. With families spending more time indoors and windows being kept closed against the cold; winter illnesses spread faster, making fresh air and good ventilation more important than ever.
This guide focuses on how to keep indoor air healthy, fresh and germ-reduced during the busy festive period.
The kitchen and cooking
Food glorious food. We all eat lots over Christmas and one meal seems to merge into another, but constant cooking – and lots of people gathered in one space can quickly affect indoor air quality.
Tips for fresher air in the kitchen:
- Try to leave kitchen windows open slightly to allow a constant source of fresh air particularly when gathering together for meals, and then socialising together around the kitchen table.
- If possible, have kitchen windows open at opposite ends of the room. This will help to create a thorough draft.
- Always use extractor fans when cooking, and before the Christmas season starts, clean the extractor hood filter to ensure decent airflow. Make sure that your extractor fans are working properly by placing a sheet of paper in front of the fan. If it sticks the fan is working fine; if the piece of paper falls to the ground then it is time for a bit of maintenance.
- Put lids on saucepans when boiling vegetables to minimise the about of steam coming into the room.
- Turn down heating systems in advance because the heat from the cooking and the people in the room will soon raise the temperature!
Good airflow in busy areas like kitchens helps reduce the concentration of viruses and bacteria, keeping gatherings healthier.
The scent of Christmas
Pine, cinnamon, gingerbread, oranges and cranberries are just some of the scents that remind us of Christmas and these days we often get them with scented candles and plug-in air fresheners.
As lovely as these scents are, the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that can be produced by the chemicals and compounds used within the products can bring on headaches (perhaps it wasn’t the mulled wine!) and can irritate the lungs, particularly in children.
How to enjoy scents safely:
- Limit the number of scented products in one room.
- Avoid burning candles all day to prevent VOC build-up.
- Crack open a window to disperse pollutants.
- Use a HEPA air purifier to help reduce VOCs and fine particles released during winter celebrations.
People contribute to germs, indoor humidity and stale air
People spending time indoors for prolonged periods increases humidity in a home. You may notice that the kitchen windows fog up when there are lots of people chatting away in the kitchen. This is because we put moisture into the air as we breathe; we are probably putting the kettle on more often, and we are certainly cooking and washing up more.
With more people staying for Christmas there will be more bathing and showering and more washing to dry too. All of this increases the humidity and can have an effect on your health and your home:
Signs of humidity problems
- Condensation on windows
- Musty smells in wardrobes
- Black mould spots on walls or window frames
- Peeling wallpaper and sticking doors
- Clothes and shoes growing white “fur” in cupboards
- Musical instruments going out of tune
Simple ways to reduce humidity
- Open the bathroom window for 30 minutes after showers
- Keep kitchen windows cracked during meal prep
- Avoid drying washing on radiators
- Use a dehumidifier to control moisture and help prevent the conditions in which germs thrive
Nothing like a real fire at Christmas
A real fire can really set the atmosphere at Christmas time and there is nothing better having come in from outside than warming up next to the fireplace. But if you don’t use your fireplace on a regular basis then there is an increased risk of particle pollution in the room, especially from harmful PM2.5 matter which can cause issues in the lungs and cardiovascular systems. Nitrogen Oxides are also an issue if the fuel is not completely burnt out.
- Have your fireplace and chimney regularly serviced.
- Keep small children away from the fireplace when in use and until it is completely cooled down.
- Fireplaces can create negative air pressure in the room sucking all of the heat in the house up the chimney, a costly and cold mistake.
- Always have a carbon monoxide alarm in a room with a fireplace.
- If using a wood-burning fire then consider pairing it with an air purifier to help reduce fine particle levels indoors.
A dehumidifier can help improve air quality
Many of these problems, in particular mould, condensation and damp, can be resolved with a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier will lower the level of humidity by sucking in air from the room at one end, removing the moisture, and then blowing it back out into the room. A small property will need a small quiet dehumidifier and one that can be moved between rooms. The Arete® One 6L has been designed specifically for that: single room use. It offers excellent performance in a lightweight, easy-to-position unit. With whisper-quiet operation and exceptional energy efficiency, it provides effective humidity control without disrupting daily life or your sleep at night. Like the rest of the Arete range, it has been accredited with the Quiet Mark after extensive independent testing confirmed it as one of the quietest dehumidifiers in its class.
For larger properties and spaces that can become very cold (garages, vacant holiday homes), the Meaco DD8L Zambezi dehumidifier works well at low temperatures, helps dry washing (is cheaper than using a tumble dryer), and as a desiccant dehumidifier, adds warmth back into a room. This dehumidifier also has a Which? Best Buy Award.
Cleaner air with an air purifier
The air quality in your home will be improved by using a good air purifier to remove pollutants and allergens. The MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76×5 WiFi Air Purifier is Wi-Fi enabled, with a mobile app that lets you check on your air quality from wherever you are, and its H11 HEPA filter removes more than 95% of damaging particles from the air. It has an active carbon filter that will help to capture the increased VOCs produced at Christmas.
Our Arete® and Low Energy dehumidifier ranges also include optional HEPA filtration, giving you a powerful 2-in-1 solution that reduces humidity while helping to clean the air at the same time.
Circulating fresh air in the home
Fresh air only helps if it reaches the whole room.
Winter rooms often become stuffy because we open windows only a small amount – an air circulator helps push that fresh air through the entire space without making the room feel cold.
The Sefte® 8” Portable Battery Air Circulator is designed to keep air moving effectively, helping to push stale air out of the room while drawing in fresher air from an open window.
Compact and cordless, the Sefte® 8” can be placed exactly where it’s needed, circulating air evenly by gently bouncing it off walls and ceilings. When set to a low speed, it maintains airflow without noticeably cooling the room, and its quiet operation means it won’t disturb daily life or sleep.
With its flexible, portable design, the Sefte® 8” offers a simple way to improve air circulation at home and help keep you and your family more comfortable and protected throughout the winter season.
Keep your home fresher and germ-reduced this Christmas
With more winter bugs circulating than ever – including this year’s super-flu – improving ventilation, humidity control and filtration can significantly reduce germs and make your home healthier for guests and family.
Good airflow, clean air and effective humidity management are simple steps that create a safer, more comfortable festive environment.
Products featured: MeacoDry Arete® One 6L, MeacoClean CA-HEPA 76×5 WiFi Air Purifier, Meaco DD8L Zambezi, MeacoFan Sefte® 8″
Browse our MeacoFan Air Circulator range. Browse our MeacoDry Dehumidifiers.
