Is it still illegal to remove trickle vents?

jez9999

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Building Regulations are on the Planning Portal.

There is more to indoor air quality than just humidity. Consider oxygen/ carbon dioxide balance, 'pollutants' coming off furniture, furnishings, cleaning products, building materials.

What about pollutants coming from outside, like when someone has a horrible smelling bonfire and I can't keep the smell out? lol

Fire_Fox

jez9999 wrote: »

What about pollutants coming from outside, like when someone has a horrible smelling bonfire and I can't keep the smell out? lol

You get to appreciate why Building Regulations cover a ventilation strategy, not just one option for airing out your shiny new home.

I am the queen of poor indoor air quality - city centre flat, defective ventilation - and have had a couple of chest infections to prove it! Heck yeah BRs can be frustrating but there really IS method in the madness.

If you want to duct tape over the trickle vents BUT throw all your windows open daily (whatever the weather) for a swift blast through, 'crack on'.

Doozergirl

jez9999 wrote: »

What about pollutants coming from outside, like when someone has a horrible smelling bonfire and I can't keep the smell out? lol

Shut the trickle vents. This conversation is ridiculous.

There's a reason for trickle vents. If you think you know better, carry on.

jez9999

Except that they never fully shut. Even when the cheap plastic flap is "shut", there's a gap allowing some air and sound to, well, trickle through.

Doozergirl

So invest in an airtight house with a managed ventilation system.

This stuff exists, but airflow is essential in any house. The newer the house, the more important those planned vents are.

Aylesbury_Duck

OP, you seem determined to find reasons to close them off permanently and it looks as if no matter what people advise, you have an answer, so just go ahead and block them up. The world won’t end but you’ll have to watch out for potential consequences.

RelievedSheff

We moved into our new build house in April at the same time as a young couple over the road.

We always have our trickle vents open and open the windows once a day to get some fresh air around the house. We dont find noise an issue but we do live on a quiet estate and so far have not noticed that they lose excess heat or cause drafts.

The young couple across the road have their vents shut and rarely open any windows even during the summer. They are now suffering with mould growth around their windows and in room corners and the humidity in their house is unbearable.

Our home built at the same time theirs so subject to the same conditions during construction is drying out nicely with no signs of mould and the humidity steadily dropping as the house drys out naturally.

There is a lot of water goes into constructing a new house not just from the weather but in the building materials as well, something in the region of 2000 litres per house. That is a lot of moisture to dry out over the course of the first 12-18 months.

If you block the vents you will void your warranty so when you do get mould, which you will if you dont ventilate the house, you will be left to deal with it yourself and will have no come back.

It has been proven many many times that living in a damp house causes health problems. Why would you want to risk that?