Window Trickle Vents

Approved Document F came into effect on the 15th of June 2022 in England and on the 23rd of November 2022 in Wales. All window and door installations from that date must comply with the new building regulations regarding trickle vents. These regulations cover all areas where 5 Star install windows and doors including the Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.

Ventilation can be provided through any appropriate means. Installing a background ventilator through a wall that offers the equivalent areas can be an acceptable route to compliance, rather than Trickle Vents.

Yes! Humid damp air costs more to heat than dry air. Good ventilation lowers humidity and saves money on like-for-like heating bills.

When you get into a warm car, with damp clothes, the windows mist up quickly, put the air conditioning on and the windows clear. You’ve lowered the humidity. Trickle Vents do the same job.

Mould occurs due to condensation created by humid air, a form of fungus. Black spots can appear on the side surfaces of external walls, around windows and doors, in corners and in poorly ventilated spaces, such as behind cupboards and wardrobes. Trickle Vents will improve ventilation and therefore help reduce mould.

Mould is often the first sign of a damp problem and in many cases fitting Trickle Vents will let a small amount of air circulate the room and reduce or stop the issue.

During the winter, it’s important to consider whether trickle vents should be left open. Trickle vents play a crucial role in allowing controlled ventilation and fresh air into living spaces, effectively refreshing stale air. By keeping your trickle vents open, you can reduce moisture in the air. These vents work by allowing damp air inside to escape to the colder air outside. Following 5 Star’s advice, it’s best to leave them fully open.

Trickle Vents and even better your night vents will allow controlled ventilation and fresh air into habitable rooms, freshening the stale air, and reducing moisture.

Yes! It is possible to fit Trickle Vents to existing windows and doors. If you are experiencing problems like mould and condensation. Though lining through the position on different windows is very difficult after the event.

A reduction in the temperature in your home from Trickle Vents is minimal and unnoticeable. If you are concerned about your home feeling cold, it is likely to be the boiler or thermostat being set too low and not your Trickle Vents causing the issue. Damp air is more expensive to heat than dry air, so good ventilation will help.

The airflow through Trickle Vents is so small that very little noise will travel through, and draughts are almost undetectable.

No, quite the opposite, new doors and windows without Trickle Vents can cause condensation by sealing the room too securely, Trickle Vents give a small low flow of controllable air which helps reduce condensation.

Trickle Vents allow a minimal amount of air circulation, night vents allow significantly more and an open window further. The choice of how much is up to you, but a Trickle Vent provides the absolute minimum required.

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) is a suitable alternative to getting Trickle Vents. It uses heat from outgoing air to warm up any incoming fresh air without compromising the air quality. It’s certainly a much more expensive option.

To ensure optimal ventilation, it is recommended that smaller windows in small rooms have 1 trickle vent, while larger windows in bedrooms or living rooms should have 2 trickle vents. However, the number of windows and the room size may influence this. Our designers and surveyors are available to assist you in making the right decision.

They are your Trickle Vents and it’s your home, so there is little stopping you from removing the inside cover, filling the holes with silicon, or any filler and replacing the cover. However, 5 Star do not advise blocking Trickle Vents, as simply closing them, takes any airflow to near zero.

Trickle Vents help reduce the likelihood of condensation by allowing warm, moist air to escape. This is vital in preventing the growth of mould, which can be harmful to both the property and your health. If mould is proving to be an issue, try opening your night vents too.

Night vents, where a window can be closed slightly ajar, are not an appropriate background ventilation solution. This is because night vents do not provide a constant means of background ventilation when closed as Trickle Vents do.