Blog: Do I Need Trickle Vents in My New Windows?

Please read our updated blog article: New Trickle Vent Requirements from 15th June 2022 for Double Glazed Windows & Doors

Do I need trickle vents?

There is a common misconception that trickle vents are required in all new openings for windows and doors but this is not technically true. If you have trickle vents in your existing windows or shown on your new plans then you will need to cater for a form of background/passive ventilation.

All new builds since the early 1990’s require passive ventilation and the easiest and simplest form of achieving this has been trickle vents in windows and doors. However, they affect the acoustic performance of high performance windows allowing airborne sound to travel through the frame. In the days of low u-value and thermal performance they also mean your nice new windows and doors have holes drilled through them. As well as often looking unsightly these factors mean that it is worthwhile investigating other solutions; one of which is a Positive Input Ventilation system, or PIV system.

What is Positive Input Ventilation?

A Positive Input Ventilation system is relatively cheap to purchase, c.£300, and can provide a whole house with a basic form of mechanical heat recovery and also filter the air coming in. You will require installation by an electrician or similar experienced trades person.

The units use the tiles/slates and/or the loft space itself to warm the incoming air before delivering it into the home. Solar air collectors can also be used for even greater pre-heating of the ventilation air. This has the effect of helping to heat the home which can result in lower fuel bills and, for those interested in the environment, reduced carbon emissions.

South East to South West facing tiles or slates absorb energy from the sun. Even the loft space itself is a substantial source of energy. During the heating season it will almost always be warmer than outside because of solar gain and conduction and convection losses from the home.

How does low energy positive input ventilation work?

Unlike extract systems which draw in unheated, unfiltered air, even a basic positive input ventilation unit gently supplies tempered, filtered air into a home using otherwise unused heat within a roof.

The benefits of this are enormous:

1. A significant proportion of external pollutants are prevented from entering the home
2. The use of the otherwise unused heat in the roof results in the ventilation unit providing a significant net energy gain to the home.
3. There is no better way to ventilate a home than from the inside out via a single, centrally located, supply air diffuser. A good quality unit, fitted in your loft, will operate at an almost imperceptible noise level. You will hardly know it’s there.

A properly designed and installed unit will ensure that old, contaminated, vapour laden air in your home is continuously diluted, displaced and replaced with good quality air.

Features & Benefits

• Cures condensation dampness – Positive input ventilation removes humidity from the air, preventing mould growth and controlling dust-mite allergens
• Improves indoor air quality – indoor pollutants from cooking and cleaning are removed while outdoor pollutants including traffic fumes, pollen and Radon gas are kept out
• Meets regulations – meets Part F & L of Building Regulations as a low-energy ventilation strategy
• Extremely low power consumption – costs around 1p per day
• Easy installation and very low maintenance – filter clean or replacement every five years
• Fixed heat recovery – minimises loss of heat in the loft by recirculating the air, saving energy
• System standby in summer months – when the loft temperature exceeds 23°C
• Health benefits – clinically proven to help allergy and asthma sufferers
• 5 year warranty – for peace of mind

If you’d like to find out more about Positive Input Ventilation, you can download the brochure here. Please submit enquiries to Nuaire via their website www.nuaire.co.uk

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