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How to ventilate your home

House with opened windows and doors.

Overview

Ventilating your home is key to preventing mould and mildew, which is important for your health and wellbeing, along with protecting the health and integrity of your home. Whether you’re a home owner or a renter, there are things you can do to encourage a flow of fresh air in your home on a daily basis. Check out our guide on ways to improve ventilation.

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, ear muffs, gloves and mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.

Tools and materials

    Materials

    Steps

    1Open doors and windows

    Airing your house a few times a day will quickly replace stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air; it will even remove moisture from your home. This is especially helpful if someone in the household is feeling under the weather – removing stale air will circulate air flow and improve air quality.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: Opening doors and windows can create a beneficial cross-draft. If it’s cold outside, open doors and windows during the warmest parts of the day.
    Woman opening lounge room door.

    2Overnight air

    Ventilating your bedroom overnight can also improve sleep. It helps to maintain high air quality, reducing excess moisture and the risk of mould growth.

    Green Bunnings hammer
    Tip: You don’t need to have your windows wide-open all night – even a finger’s width will make a huge difference.
    Woman opening a window. 

    3Insulation

    A good way to keep warm air inside is to make sure your insulation is working for you. There are a few indications your insulation might need replacing: Does the indoor temperature fluctuate? Is it difficult to keep your home cool, even with the air conditioning on? Is it difficult to keep your home warm in the winter? Have your electricity bills increased over time? Is there any water damage in your roof?

    If one or more of these is true, it might be time to invest in new insulation materials. (This will save you money in the long run.)

    Open lounge room window.

    4Tackle moisture

    When showering or using the bath, ensure you turn on an extractor fan or shower dome to pull the excess moisture out of the room. (If you don’t have one, now is the time to get one.) This will prevent mould growth, as it keeps the space nice and dry. It’s also a good idea to use DampRid in the bathroom. When exposed to air, it will absorb excess moisture and gradually dissolve into a saltwater solution.

    Disposable moisture absorber box.

    5Kitchen ventilation

    To reduce odours, trap particles from burnt and greasy food and improve air circulation, turn on your rangehood as soon as you start cooking. Otherwise, the smells of your delicious meal will end up permeating your entire home.

    Don’t forget to clean your rangehood regularly – this will help maintain good air quality and ensure excess grease doesn’t build up. The more regularly you clean it, the easier this task will be.

    Woman turning on the rangehood.

    6Ready to improve the ventilation in your home?

    Discourage the growth of mould in your bathroom with DampRid.  

    Health & Safety

    Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

    Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer.