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Burst of Fresh Air Can Improve Home Health
Meteorologist explains how 'burping' your house can clear indoor air of pollutants
Published on Mar. 2, 2026
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Meteorologist Sara Tonks explains that stale indoor air can trap harmful pollutants, and a quick burst of fresh air, or 'burping' your house, can dramatically improve indoor air quality, sleep, and overall health.
Why it matters
Many people spend the majority of their time indoors, where air quality can be significantly worse than outside due to trapped pollutants. Improving indoor air quality through simple ventilation techniques can have meaningful benefits for health and wellbeing.
The details
Tonks recommends opening windows for 5-10 minutes each day to 'burp' your house and flush out stale air. This quick burst of fresh air can clear the air of pollutants like carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and allergens that can build up from activities like cooking, cleaning, and off-gassing from furniture and building materials.
- Meteorologist Sara Tonks provided this advice on March 1, 2026.
The players
Sara Tonks
A meteorologist who provided advice on improving indoor air quality.
What they’re saying
“It sounds funny, but 'burping' your house could dramatically improve your indoor air quality, sleep and overall health.”
— Sara Tonks, Meteorologist (weather.com)
The takeaway
Simple ventilation techniques like opening windows for a few minutes each day can have significant benefits for indoor air quality and overall health, especially for those who spend a lot of time indoors.
