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Winter is heating season, and when we run the heat in our homes we tend to keep our windows and doors shut, to help keep the heat in and the cold out. (Makes sense.) But what we’re also keeping out is fresh air.

Keeping windows and doors shut over winter helps save energy, not to mention money, too — all pluses. But if you never exchange the air inside your home for fresh air, it can get stale and potentially lead to health issues. Have you ever heard of sick building syndrome, or SBS for short? That’s when you spend a lot of time inside a space that is tightly sealed and with little ventilation.

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Not only can keeping openings closed cause condensation issues inside your house (i.e. weeping windows), which we know can lead to mould, it also allows toxins already inside the home to build up. That includes volatile organic compounds, mold spores, dust, smoke, radon, viruses and bacteria. Breathing these in over an extended period of time isn’t good for your health. It can make you feel sick, tired and drowsy, it can cause headaches, dizziness and nausea, and can irritate your eyes, nose and throat. It can even lead to building-related illness, or BRI. Symptoms of BRI include fevers, coughing, muscle aches and tightness in your chest.