Trickle Vents

What are Trickle Vents?

Trickle vents are the little openings or slots in a building envelope, such as a window or door, which facilitate ventilation, even when the opening is closed. They are designed to eliminate stale air, allowing you to avoid issues with poor ventilation (e.g., condensation, mould, etc.)

Why Do We Have Trickle Vents?

The main driving force behind trickle vents is ventilation. In order to make homes more energy-efficient, double/triple glazing, cavity wall insulation, and loft insulation are commonplace; however, these don’t allow for a well-ventilated home. They ensure that heat doesn’t escape your home, which is unequivocally vital for UK homes, especially with the rising energy costs. Despite this, by trapping heat, they also trap stale air, which contributes to the presence of condensation in your home, resulting in mould and other damp problems.

Therefore, in order to combat this ventilation issue, trickle vents have since been introduced so that people don’t have to open their windows as often for ventilation purposes. This means that a home’s warmth doesn’t have to be compromised in the name of ventilation.

Are Trickle Vents a Good Idea?

In short, yes, trickle vents are a good idea. They are the most efficient way of facilitating controlled ventilation that permits fresh air to enter your home. As a result, your home won’t be plagued by stale air and moisture, which can lead to serious moisture problems,

Are Trickle Vents Necessary?

As of 15 June 2022, all replacement windows and doors must incorporate trickle vents if there’s no background ventilation installed. Therefore, trickle vents have recently been deemed necessary for the vast majority of UK properties.