Windows open in the winter

[robhon]

Just curious. At my wife's family's house they keep the windows open all the time, throughout the winter. They say, "The fresh air is important." They all just stay dressed warm and take VERY short showers. Now, I could understand this in warmer climates but it gets damn cold in CQ!! They have heaters but they just choose not to use them.

 

Anyone else had experience with this?

[frank1538]

Same a little bit further east and south in Zhanjiang. Just finished chatting via webcam, and the windows are open. Fortunately, it'll only get to about 50 tonight in Zhanjiang, so it is not too bad, but Jingwen has no heat whatsoever, just layers of clothes. A little perspective. She thinks Atlanta is very cold with a low today of about 35 and a high of 60. I love winters in the South.

[Francine-gg]

Just curious.  At my wife's family's house they keep the windows open all the time, throughout the winter.  They say, "The fresh air is important."  They all just stay dressed warm and take VERY short showers.  Now, I could understand this in warmer climates but it gets damn cold in CQ!!  They have heaters but they just choose not to use them.

 

Anyone else had experience with this?

Rob ,

 

If it reaches 50 degrees + in Boston during the winter my windows are wide open too.....It's all relative I guess.

[Mick]

Seems to be pretty much a China-wide phenomenon. Often, when I lived in Hefei, windows were wide open even if it was bitterly cold. I recall Owen posting that his wife often opened the windows in winter, and he lived in Shenyang!

[tonado]

Just curious.  At my wife's family's house they keep the windows open all the time, throughout the winter.  They say, "The fresh air is important."  They all just stay dressed warm and take VERY short showers.  Now, I could understand this in warmer climates but it gets damn cold in CQ!!  They have heaters but they just choose not to use them.

 

Anyone else had experience with this?

Rob ,

 

If it reaches 50 degrees + in Boston during the winter my windows are wide open too.....It's all relative I guess.

Prior to Nov, my wife thinks she would suffocated in the house if the windows are not opened. We also live in Boston Area. My parents had to tell her to stop opening the window because heat is expensive in this area. Luckily, she is adjusting now since it can get to 10 degrees f at night here. When she needs fresh air, she goes outside.

 

It is so ironic that some people will go outside (without a jacket) in the cold for smoking when air is supposed to be fresh outside. I guess with the anti-smoking laws in US, they will do anything for a puff.

[Kaige]

I found the same with Yans family while in ChongQing, open windows, I am freezeing and they are bundled up, I think she brought this custom here, same in S.W. Fla, windows open and it's winter, 50's at night, O I love my waterbed. I close the windows or try to she needs fresh air, I leave them open in summer, she closes them, turns on the A/C for a few hours and then opens the windows, can't figure this out

[MoonCarolCafe]

My wife is in GZ, and she keeps the windows open too.

 

Even on cold winter nights when there are no plans for shabu-shabu.

[AngryTexan]

My wife lived in tropical Shenzhen, where the climate is very similar to what we have here in Houston. However, I made two trips in the winter, and always seemed to be cold, due in large part to the fact that she did not have any heat in her apartment. I mean, when it's in the low 40's and very humid, it can get uncomfortable for those of us who grew up in the South. In fact, I developed a nasty cold during my Christmas 2001 trip, which I suspect was due to the fact that I could never seem to get warm. Of course, I'm not sure if that was worse than the trips I took in the summer, when I found Shenzhen to be unbearably hot and humid. Coming from a guy who has lived his entire life near the Gulf Coast in Texas, that's saying alot. I remember the first time I walked into her apartment in July of 2001, and said a prayer of thanks when I saw a small air conditioning unit attached to the wall!

I know....sounds like a typical spoiled, "soft" American!!!

[Stats]

My wife lived in tropical Shenzhen, where the climate is very similar to what we have here in Houston.  However, I made two trips in the winter, and always seemed to be cold, due in large part to the fact that she did not have any heat in her apartment. I mean, when it's in the low 40's and very humid, it can get uncomfortable for those of us who grew up in the South. In fact, I developed a nasty cold during my Christmas 2001 trip, which I suspect was due to the fact that I could never seem to get warm.  Of course, I'm not sure if that was worse than the trips I took in the summer, when I found Shenzhen to be unbearably hot and humid.  Coming from a guy who has lived his entire life near the Gulf Coast in Texas, that's saying alot.  I remember the first time I walked into her apartment in July of 2001, and said a prayer of thanks when I saw a small air conditioning unit attached to the wall!

  I know....sounds like a typical spoiled, "soft" American!!!  

Nice to see you again Angry Texan. My fiancee is in Shenzhen and I am just north of Houston in The Woodlands. This year, I went to Shenzhen in January and early September. I agree with everything you said about the weather.

 

Luckily we stayed in a hotel so the heat/cooling was not problem. The typhoon was interesting though