A quarter of Britons are breathing polluted air in their homes each day. On average, Britons spend 90% of their time indoors, so it is vital that they check the quality of the indoor air they breathe and take the correct measures to make their environment healthier.
According to data taken from Netatmo Weather Stations, 23% of homes in the UK on average exceed the threshold of 1,000 particles per million (ppm) of CO2 at least once a day, meaning these homes aren’t ventilated well enough to evacuate pollutants. This is partly explained by bad habits: around 60% of Europeans don’t replenish the air in their homes at least twice a day , as many health organisations recommend.
Indoor air quality that varies according to the season
The study shows that the quality of indoor air in homes in the UK changes according to the season. In winter, indoor air quality is poor in 28% of British homes, compared to only 15% in the summer. This means comfort is chosen over air quality in winter, with one in two Europeans not opening their windows because of the cold[3]. Yet airing a home two to four times a day for five minutes each time replenishes the air without heat being lost.
Key Findings
• CO2 levels are in excess of 1,000 ppm impair your ability to concentrate
• 23% of homes in the UK contain polluted air at least once a day
• Almost 80% of Britons don’t air their home at least twice a day
• Airing your home in winter does not lead to a significant loss of heat
• Indoor air is most polluted on Sundays
British homes close to the European average
An average of 22% of homes become polluted daily across Europe. In the UK, the average percentage of homes getting polluted each day stands at 23%. The UK is therefore close to the European average. Sweden, which leads the ranking, has half as many polluted homes as the UK does.
These disparities can be explained by different habits in airing, as well as norms and ventilation mechanisms that vary from country to country. In the UK, 80% of detached houses built before 1990 have so-called natural ventilation and only 25% feature mechanical ventilation[4]. In Sweden, only 40% of houses have natural ventilation while 60% of them include mechanical ventilation[5]. This might explain why levels of indoor air pollution vary between British and Swedish homes.
How can you improve your home’s air quality?
With the indoor air of 28% of British homes becoming polluted at least once a day in winter, it is vital to check your home’s air quality.
A first key step is to air your home at least twice a day. It’s also important to choose the right time of day to air your home, as well as the duration needed to reduce the CO2 rate as effectively as possible and to expel indoor pollution. Importantly, airing you home in winter does not lead to a significant loss of heat in the home. This is because only the indoor air cools, and not the walls, flooring, ceiling and furniture.
The Netatmo Weather Station helps improve your environment each day. The user can monitor indoor air quality in real time on their smartphone, track its changes over time and see the positive effects of their actions. As soon as the threshold of 1,000 ppm is reached, they receive an alert on their smartphone, prompting them to immediately take the necessary actions to improve their home’s indoor air quality and purify their environment.
