Should I have trickle vents?

Mojisola

thedr wrote: »

I live in a really safe, upmarket area and being 2nd floor, I feel really safe in leaving a window open when I go out.

Our windows can be opened just a tiny bit to allow ventilation and then locked. Useful option for when you're out.

tanith

We have trickle vents with no draughts that I've noticed when they are closed but I only had them closed when the heating was on every day. We also can open the windows and then lock them slightly open I only leave them open like that upstairs I wouldn't leave them like it downstairs if I were out.

thedr

It seems that there is no clear cut answer to this question.

adouglasmhor

thedr wrote: »

I live in a really safe, upmarket area and being 2nd floor, I feel really safe in leaving a window open when I go out.

I may not go for trickle vent in the bedroom.

I lived in a scuzzy area but was on the 12th floor at one time.
A friend in a bettter area got up during the night in his 2rd floor flat to find a junkie helping himself round the living room, even more disconcerting was after my friend hit him he jumped up like a cat and dived out the window and was then seen running down the street with no apparent injuries.

GolfFoxtrot

The trickle vents in our bedroom are drafty, you can see the curtains moving when it's windy outside. The one in the kitchen was too but on closer inspection we discovered it had been fitted *very* badly.

thedr

It sounds to me like trickle vents are just bad news.


I'll probably just go for using the night latch option.

Pincher

My understanding is:

1. The building code said MORE insulation, so the developers did, but did nothing about ventilation: because they are cheap ba*ta*ds.

2. Moisture is trapped, new builds became mushroom farms. Mold and spores, scum on walls.

3. The building code now says thou shall put in ventilation. The developers looked at PassivHaus and MVHR, and screamed: "HOW MUCH!?" They just put in some trickle vents, so they can say JOB DONE.

Trickle vents are better than nothing. I would say have them, and if they leak, which is unlikely, you can tape them up, or fill them in with some cotton wool. Don't forget insect guards.

I have a feeling they mass produce the windows WITH trickle vents, and if you want it without, they have to make it to order, which is more expensive, so the salesmen steer you to the standard product.

I have THREE of these in my house, different sizes depending on bathroom size.

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Ventilation_Index/Aidelle_Icon_Fans/index.html

The iris is closed when the fan is off, to stop draught. In fact, in combination with the flap outside, there is no draught even in a gale (I love it). You can buy sensor modules for PIR human presence, moisture etc. It's just a fan, so it throws warm air out in winter.

This one is for the bedroom, so it's quiet, with heat recovery.

http://www.dealec.co.uk/acatalog/vent-axia-hr30w-heat-recovery-unit-370363.html

Dealec has a few single room heat recovery units.

thedr

It sounds like these things are a bodge, basically a response to the fact that windows have become too good. So, effectively it makes them less efficient. Crazy.

thedr

Pincher wrote: »

Trickle vents are better than nothing. I would say have them, and if they leak, which is unlikely, you can tape them up, or fill them in with some cotton wool. Don't forget insect guards.

I'm not comfortable with going through the expense and process of installing new windows, only to entertain the possibility of stuffing them with cotton wool.

lstar337

We have trickle vents on our windows.

They offer good ventilation when open, and they they do not leak when closed.

If you have decent quality windows, they should be fine.