I dislike Trickle vents

[SaudisLoveAudis]

Hi,
I have moved to a property that has ALL windows with trickle vents. On top of a wide ventilator in the kitchen and a smaller in the bathroom there is also an air brick in the living room for the old gas burner (removed long time ago).
This and the trickle vents on all 9 windows makes the draft like in a dog's shed. I think dog's shed is actually better.
I have already blocked the air brick but I have to address these trickle vents.
Before these windows are going to be replaced in a year or two I have to stop the draft.
Duct tape gives me mixed result because the small gap between the trickle vent cover plastic and windows frame is still leaking some air x9.
These Slotvent trickle vents cannot be removed. These are screwed in and I cannot remove the screw caps.
Should I just destroy these screw caps, remove the vents on both sides and duct tape holes on both sides and put the trickle vents back in
OR instead put some expanding foam into the holes in the window frame through the intake of the trickle vent?

Let me know what you think

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If you are adamant that you wish to block vents then destroy the caps, unscrew the vents and replace with a plate, uPVC trimmed to size maybe. Or foam would work I guess too. LolBut you better hope you don't end up with any condensation issues ....

Little bit of background ventilation is pretty healthy IMO and avoids dripping wet bedroom windows on those cold winter mornings etc.

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

If you are adamant that you wish to block vents then destroy the caps, unscrew the vents and replace with a plate, uPVC trimmed to size maybe. Or foam would work I guess too. LolBut you better hope you don't end up with any condensation issues ....

Little bit of background ventilation is pretty healthy IMO and avoids dripping wet bedroom windows on those cold winter mornings etc.

I know what you mean about this condensation on windows. This is what was the case at my previous place but IMHO it was due to the windows size (large) ratio vs the size of the rooms (small). Me on my own at 84sqm should not cause too much of condensation but correct 2+ people, frequent baths and washing then some of these trickle vents could prove useful.

Thanks for suggestions.

 

[ronniecabers]

Get used to Trickle vents I'm afraid... ALL replacement and new upvc windows have to have them fitted under building regulations. Unless of course you go PIV or similiar

 

[Notch7]

if the windows are white, get some upvc trim, take off the cover, fill the hole, then stick up a length of trim across the whole window -nice and neat

 

[jacko555]

ALL replacement and new upvc windows have to have them fitted under building regulations

Is this a recent thing?

2 years ago ish a local company replaced all the (rotten) wood windows with flush sash upvc. 56 units.

I asked for no trickle vents, they said sure. Each room has fireplaces and enough ventilation, although, we asked for none for aesthetics

Got a fensa certificate.

 

[ronniecabers]

Is this a recent thing?

2 years ago ish a local company replaced all the (rotten) wood windows with flush sash upvc. 56 units.

I asked for no trickle vents, they said sure. Each room has fireplaces and enough ventilation, although, we asked for none for aesthetics

Got a fensa certificate.

Yes, from June 15th this year

 

[jacko555]

Cheers. Kinda glad I missed it, the house is ventilated enough as it is

 

[brucek]

Now that it's compulsory to have some form of passive ventilation (8000mm2 per habitable room) I'm looking at alternatives (trickle vents or drilling a big hole through the wall of every room). I'm fitting Residence 9 windows, and it seems senseless to drill through all 9 chambers, which contribute to impressive uvalues. All the chambers will now fill with cold air, which can't be blocked off from the outside and will cause considerable heat loss through the frame. One way of minimising this heat loss would be to fit an internal sleeve from front to back, which would allow air into the room through the vent but prevent cold air from circulating round the whole frame. When I suggested this to the window suppliers they thought it was a good idea 'but we don't do it'. Does anyone know of a trickle vent manufacturer who does?

 

[SaudisLoveAudis]

On another forum someone has suggested trickle vents that open when the humidity in the room goes beyond certain point.
But this new regulation about trickle vents on EVERY window is a ridiculous idea. It should be down to the owner to control the humidity in the house regardless if they are good or bad at it. Addressing high heating bills should remain a priority especially when the carbon oligarchs are tightening the screw.

 

[RandomGrinch]

One way of minimising this heat loss would be to fit an internal sleeve from front to back, which would allow air into the room through the vent but prevent cold air from circulating round the whole frame.

I've drilled through to fix a small trickle vent on a window in my downstairs loo. I had been thinking about the cold air circulating around the frame (and imagined it filling with spiders!).
So once drilled, I sprayed a little low expansion foam in the gap, and then re-drilled (I also fitted 1mm gauze to both sides).
I'm afraid I can't tell how effective it's been on my small window, but I haven't had any spiders through yet!

 

[ronniecabers]

On another forum someone has suggested trickle vents that open when the humidity in the room goes beyond certain point.
But this new regulation about trickle vents on EVERY window is a ridiculous idea. It should be down to the owner to control the humidity in the house regardless if they are good or bad at it. Addressing high heating bills should remain a priority especially when the carbon oligarchs are tightening the screw.

Funnily enough most of the window industry agree with that sentiment!
But due to very high profile cases of black mould the government and powers that be worked out the general public were not to be trusted to ventilate so came up with this legislation. By the way trickle vents is new builds/extensions have been compulsory for a long time, the change last year was only to replacement windows and trickle vents are not the o ly answer , just the easiest . You could fit airbricks , a PIV or MHIV system but a window company wouldn't be allowed to register the job under certass, fensa building control etc until the alternative ventilation was fitted and check ( by building control ) , whereas with fitting trickle vents the window company cam self certify

 

[ronniecabers]

Now that it's compulsory to have some form of passive ventilation (8000mm2 per habitable room) I'm looking at alternatives (trickle vents or drilling a big hole through the wall of every room). I'm fitting Residence 9 windows, and it seems senseless to drill through all 9 chambers, which contribute to impressive uvalues. All the chambers will now fill with cold air, which can't be blocked off from the outside and will cause considerable heat loss through the frame. One way of minimising this heat loss would be to fit an internal sleeve from front to back, which would allow air into the room through the vent but prevent cold air from circulating round the whole frame. When I suggested this to the window suppliers they thought it was a very idea 'but we don't do it'. Does anyone know of a trickle vent manufacturer who does?

Internal sleeve would be great, along with filters. Trust me , the industry generally hate the quality of trickle vents that are being produced!
Alternative to trickle vents and air bricks are PIV and MHiV systems , better than drilling through windows in my opinion but trickle vents are easiest and path of least resistance ( see my reply to Saudis above )

 

[crank39]

Best trickle vents I've seen so far are acoustic humidity vents, bit bulky but do the job, however they are the bain of the window industries life, they've been hated since the day they came in in April 2002

 

[brucek]

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions. I've found this 'Trimfit' sleeving online. It would do the job if I could find it in the UK. You could cut lengths according to your window depths. It's available in America but I haven't seen anything like it at home yet. Another option might be to adapt some brick weeps.