On many cold, sunny days it would be great to air out your home without feeling a nasty cold draft from an open window. In fact, it may be essential to air out the house when you have just fried bacon and the kitchen exhaust fan can’t remove the odor. But if you open the window, you get a cold draft that only seems to spread the bacon smell thought out your home.
You can avoid this fate if you understand the basic science of wind hitting you home. The side toward the wind will be under positive pressure as air tries to push in. The downwind side will experience suction, and air will tend to move out for the window.
So, to easily and comfortable ventilate your home, open a window on the downwind side. Air will move out oaf the open window as it leaks into the side of your homes facing the wind. If you open a window on the windy side, too, air will flow in and out more quickly.
If you also open a window on the second story, the effect will even be greater as a chimney effect causes warm air to rise.
Chuck LeCraw
The Cornerstone Inspection Group