Save Energy by Sleeping With Windows Open? | Brennan Electric (2024)

FAQs

Does opening windows save electricity? ›

Even in July and August, it's still usually best to keep the windows closed and the AC running to ensure you stay cool and comfortable as you sleep. On milder days or when the nighttime temperatures will be down into the 70s or below, opening your windows can be a decent option for saving money.

Wasting Electricity

When you leave a window open, cool air escapes and hot air replaces it, tricking your air conditioner into thinking that it has to work harder and waste electricity. By keeping your windows shut, you can save money on your air conditioning bill and keep your home cool and comfortable.

The Pros: Deeper, More Restful Sleep

For starters, research repeatedly shows that cool temperatures make it easier to fall asleep. Not only does cool air help you fall asleep, it helps you stay asleep, too.

If the humidity level outside is much above 65%, you are usually much better off keeping your windows closed at night and using your AC instead. The reason is that opening your windows allows all of that humid air to get inside the house and soak into your furnishings.

This seems like a good strategy. However, contrary to conventional wisdom, opening your windows at night during the summer may not always lower your energy bill. It could have the opposite effect. Typically, even in the evening, outdoor air during the summer is warmer than the air in your home.

Opening bedroom windows reduced indoor CO₂ but increased PM_2.5 and temperature. Opening bedroom windows reduced the duration of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. No beneficial effects of opening bedroom doors on sleep were observed. Alternative solutions for bedroom ventilation in summertime are required.

What costs the most on your electric bill? Heating and cooling are by far the greatest energy users in the home, making up around 40% of your electric bill. Other big users are washers, dryers, ovens, and stoves. Electronic devices like laptops and TVs are usually pretty cheap to run, but of course, it can all add up.

Keeping a window open reduced concentration of carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and some particulate matter in participant bedrooms, according to Fan's 2022 study. People slept better. Keeping a door open also reduced carbon dioxide concentration, without a direct correlation to improving sleep.

Pollution. It's not just pollen in the air that can lead to bad things blowing through your open window at night. In urban or highly populated areas, leaving your window open can leave you vulnerable to pollution, which can be detrimental to your general health and wellbeing.

In short, sleeping with socks on may help you fall asleep and get better, deeper Zzzs. “Wearing socks to sleep can help you with thermoregulation by retaining heat, vasodilation for better peripheral circulation, and preventing heat loss through the extremities,” Dr. Harris explains.

What are the benefits of sleeping naked? ›

Researchers have found out that the best time to open the window and leave off the AC is when the outside temperature is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity levels are low. This keeps the room cool during the night, which ultimately saves money.

Reasons this might happen include drinking caffeine or alcohol late in the day, a poor sleep environment, a sleep disorder, or another health condition. When you can't get back to sleep quickly, you won't get enough quality sleep to keep you refreshed and healthy.

On an annual scale with a conventional central A/C, this could result in energy savings of up to 11 percent. However, the energy savings may decrease if the home is better insulated, the A/C is more efficient or the climate has less dramatic temperature swings.

Open windows reduce energy consumption. A cool breeze entering a home through open windows can reduce the temperature inside of a home without having to turn on fans or air conditioners. This not only helps individuals save money, but also it reduces reliance on electricity and fossil fuels.

While people should enjoy a night of fresh air from time to time, it's essential to be aware of potentially higher energy costs. When you leave your windows open all night, you essentially undo all the hard work air conditioning or heat pump system has done to cool your home.

The Benefits of Daily Fresh Air

One of the most apparent benefits of opening your house windows daily is the improvement in air quality. Indoor air can become stagnant and filled with pollutants such as dust, allergens, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from household products.

However, if you open a window, you increase the burden on your AC unit. You make your air conditioner work harder to maintain a set temperature because a lot of the air you cool is escaping out the window. If you feel that opening your windows is necessary, turn off your HVAC system.

Opening Windows Can Clear Your Home of Indoor Pollutants

“In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities.”