Big improvements have happened when it comes to draught-proofing our homes. Modern windows are brilliantly energy-efficient thanks to becoming airtight, however, an entirely airtight interior isn’t good for air quality and moisture in the home. If you want to maintain a comfortable and healthy environment, it is important for your home to be well ventilated. This is why manufacturers install trickle vents in the frames of their window designs.

So, What Are Trickle Ventilators?

Window trickle vents are a small ventilation window that allows a small amount of air to freely pass from one side of the window to the other. It enables the homeowner to benefit from fresh air without the need to open windows or doors. The vents work in the background to help provide fresh air and ventilation to help contribute to a healthy living environment by introducing controllable room ventilation using tools such as tickle vent covers. When following trickle vents building regs they are installed at the top of a window and can be adjusted using a rod, cord, or hand.

The Benefits Of Trickle Vents Windows

Having uPVC window vents, trickle vents for wooden windows, or trickle vent installation double glazing as part of the window unit, is able to provide a home with constant, unobstructed, and secure ventilation in the background.

  • Cleaner Air Provided For Your Home

Trickle vents help to provide effective ventilation in the background of your home. It can help to alleviate things such as asthma and dust in the home and can help to reduce the severity of other health problems. It can also help to minimize the number of pollutants like carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide that is in your home. Not to mention the fact that having fresh air running through your home in your control means your home will always smell fresh and have minimum harboring of germs and bacteria.

  • Better Security

They are a great help when it comes to the security of your home. An open window can be an easy access point for a burglar who chooses to take the opportunity. However, a trickle vent can control and enables you to vent your home while keeping your windows locked and secure.

  • Less Mould And Condensation

There is likely to be less mold and condensation that builds up in your home that could lead to damage to your decor or reduce the health standards in your home. It may be that you have existing problems with condensation and you have already searched ‘what is vent alternative to trickle vents? however, you will find that installing windows with suitable trickle vents may be the ideal cure for the condensation problem.

  • 24-Hour Operation

Even if you are away from your home you can set the trickle vents to provide background ventilation for your home. This is great if you go away on holiday and don’t want to come home to a stuffy house. It’s also brilliant when is it a hot day and you’ve been away at work.

  • Reduces Noise

When you have trickle vents you don’t need to open your windows to get the fresh air that you need. This is particularly useful if you live in a noisy environment such as near a busy road, airport, or train station. You can also choose to have acoustic trickle vents installed.

  • Cost-Effective

When you are looking for background ventilation for your home, trickle ventilation offer one of the most cost-effective solutions out there. You have no need for expensive ventilation systems in your home, no ongoing electricity costs, and no need for air bricks.

Why Is Background Ventilation Important?

Recently there has been a big focus and drive surrounding thermal comfort and the potential increase in energy efficiency for residential dwellings. This is because they have become better sealed than they have ever been before.

As our homes are becoming more airtight, they also face a few risks. Internal pollutants such as cooking, germs, bacteria, and recycled air can have a much greater impact on the quality of the air inside a home if it doesn’t have proper ventilation. So, even though airtightness is great for energy efficiency for energy consumption, it should ideally be supported by trickle ventilation to help the pollutants escape. The health of those living in these homes could be at risk if there is a lack of ventilation.

If you want to provide a comfortable and healthy internal environment, then an effective background vent is essential.

Do I Have To Have Them?

Well, it depends. Trickles vents are now a requirement under building regulations. Therefore when new windows are being assessed for installation, the following needs to be considered:

They aren’t mandatory unless the windows that are being replaced have them already, however, it is a good working practice to think about having them included when you have new windows. Replacement vents need to be no smaller than the existing vents in place.

Even though they aren’t mandatory, it is still a good idea to consider increasing the ventilation in your home. Where security isn’t compromised, two-stage locking handles are a perfectly fine form of trickle ventilation, as long as draughts won’t create a problem. This usually means that they aren’t acceptable on the ground floor, in case the windows are tampered with.

Because of the health benefit, homeowners can get from having proper ventilation in their homes. It is highly recommended that any replacement windows include trickle ventilation even if the old windows didn’t have them. If you already having an existing problem with condensation, fitting a new style window that includes a trickle vent could be the answer to the problem.

Is There An Alternative To Trickle Vents?

So you may want to know what are the alternatives to trickle vents. In simple terms, opening your window. It is a good idea for homeowners to open their windows for a few minutes every single day. Yes, this includes the winter. Doing this allows the moist air to escape and drier, fresher air to replace it. This is even more important in the bathroom and kitchen.


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