I didn't know about 'house burping' - and now I can't start a winter's day without doing it

Once the weather starts turning and the cold, damp air arrives, preventing mould in my home becomes a top priority. Which is why I was so surprised I had never heard of house burping before.

If, like me, you're constantly trying to reduce the humidity in your house during winter, you'll know just how challenging it is. And even with the best dehumidifier on your side, you can still be dealing with window condensation and that terrifying first sign of damp on your walls. So what else can you do?

House burping. A technique that I hadn't come across before, but one I've been loving doing every morning as the winter weather approaches. If you also struggle with keeping your home damp-free, here's how to successfully burp your home.

What is house burping and why should you do it?

Whether you're trying to prevent mould in your wardrobes or want to stop condendation collecting on your windows, house burping can make all the difference.

"This technique - known as “house burping” - involves opening your windows at least once a day for up to 10 minutes. It swaps stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air and, as a result, prevents our homes from suffering from condensation and poor ventilation, both of which begin to intensify around this time of the year," explain the experts at MyBuilder.com, a platform helping homeowners find reliable tradespeople.

For the same reason decluttering can help stop damp, creating this air ventilation is the simple yet effective solution to getting rid of that damp, damaging air in your home.

Now, of course, this is also a time of year when we want to keep our homes warm for less; however, doing the house burp for a short amount of time won't cool your house down dramatically.

"While the concept of opening your windows during colder weather may sound unappealing, it’s certainly better than dealing with a mouldy home. It’s already a known, effective measure in Germany - where they call it “Stosslüften” - and there’s no reason why we can’t adopt this over here," they say.

There are still many reasons you should buy a dehumidifier in winter, but doing so will have an immediate effect on the air quality in your home and get rid of the stale air built up over the previous day. I, for one, simply can't start my day without doing it now.

If you're also drying clothes indoors without a tumble dryer, your home will need extra attention when it comes to preventing damp and mould. So a daily house burp is certainly necessary.