Trickle Vents New Legislation

Trickle vents are small slows in the window that can be manually opened and closed. Their purpose is to better ventilate a home. They have been a popular addition to double glazing for many years but now new legislation has come in, making it a legal requirements for these vents to be included in window installations.

In the future, homeowner will not be able to choose whether they want trickle vents included in their design or not. Your installer will have to ensure your new window complies with new building legislations, featuring trickle vents as standard.

Both Building Control and FENSA will ensuring that all installers in the industry are working to the letter of the law.

Why Do I Need Trickle Vents?

Thermally Efficient. With double glazing becoming more thermally efficient, it may seem counterproductive to add trickle vents. You may also be concerned that trickle vents installed as standard may cause draughts and compromise the comfort of your home, but fear not, this is not the case.

Healthier Home. These new trickle vents regulations came into place to ensure healthier living environments, where ventilation and air flow play a vital role. Homeowners need a supply of fresh air in their property. A flow of ventilation will disperse moisture, odours and the indoor pollutants caused by cooking, cleaning products and other day to day activities.

Better Ventilated. Without your home being suitably ventilated, the excess moisture in the air can cause mould growth and damp, which can lead to health problems as well as structural issues within the home. When gaps and cracks in older homes are sealed, the building can breathe less and often mould problems occur.

Security. Trickle vents may also help improve the security of your property. Research has found that night latches don’t just increase the risk of draughts but can also impede the safety of your home. Many break-ins occur in the warmer months when people keep their windows open on a latch. Alongside trickle vents, our windows are internally beaded as standard and we fit shootbolts and hingebolts to our sash windows.

What Is The New Trickle Vent Legislation?

The uplifts to part F, ventilation, and part L, fuel, and power will be coming into effect from the 15th of June 2022. This includes the trickle vent legislation. The change in building regulations will impact both new and existing homes, including self builds and home extensions.

Improve the sustainability of your home. The aim of this new legislation is to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions and create long-term sustainability in the sector.

Here is a brief summary of the updated regulations that need to be followed when replacing or installing a window.

When replacing windows or installing windows which have background ventilation or trickle vents, the trickle vents must be no smaller than the vents in the original windows. They must then be controllable either manually or automatically.

When replacing windows without background ventilation or trickle vents, the regulations specify that the ventilation must not be worse than before the work was carried out. This is done by installing the appropriate trickle vents.

The installation of appropriate trickle vents involves careful assessment of the room and how the vents are positioned within the building’s façade. This will ensure you will get the most comfortable and adequate ventilation, whilst managing draughts and external sounds.

There are other regulations which will help your home better perform. The new building regulations which come into effect from June 2022 also specify certain requirements for thermal efficiency. Your new double glazing must meet a thermal efficiency U-value rating of 1.4 W/m²K or less.

If you don’t have trickle vents in your existing windows, your new windows will likely need to have trickle vents installed. There are different levels of ventilation required depending on the use of each room in your home. Your Coral Design Consultant will be able to offer impartial advice, so get in touch with us today.

What Does This Mean For Your Home?

It doesn’t mean you have to replace your current window installation, but it may mean you could benefit from replacing your windows. If your property is currently struggling with mould or damp issues, get in touch. A window featuring in-built trickle vents can improve the performance, thermal efficiency and security of your home.

Fortunately, Coral Windows have ensured all our windows will have trickle vents installed. This means your new window installation will not only be conforming to the latest building regulations, but you will enjoy a more secure and higher performing property.

Not only will your home be up to date with legislation, and improve the market value, but it will also be well-ventilated. Every window in our line is bespoke, meaning you get an installation that looks and performs exactly how you want.

Please feel free to give us a call on 0800 669 955 or send any queries you have via our online form. We look forward to assisting you with your next home improvement project. 

Categories: Advice, Home Improvement