The colder evenings are looming which means windows shut, curtains drawn, the heating on (as reluctant as we will be at moment!) and the cosy season is here BUT, you should still keep your home well-ventilated during these chillier months.
The winter months mean our homes are less ventilated, we spend more time in them and we often dry our clothes indoors too. This means a lot of condensation that needs to be ventilated.
Best way to ventilate your home during winter
So this is where the Trickle Vents come into play. Trickle vents are the small vents that run across the top of your windows, mostly seen in newer style windows, they provide genuine benefits in providing controlled ventilation and fresh air into the rooms used every day and even those that aren’t used that often.
They allow controlled ventilation and fresh air into habitable rooms, at a reasonable rate so that you will not feel a cold draught. They freshen the stale air that accumulates during the winter when we don’t open our windows as much. Another great benefit of them is that your security will not be compromised by having them open as you are able to close your windows.
Keep your trickle vents open and they will reduce moisture buildup – they really do work. Our advice is to leave them fully open at all times.
What happens if I don’t use my tickle vents?
These vents help prevent or minimise problems associated with poor ventilation, such as condensation and reduce the risk of mould growing in unwanted places and dampness in the house. Additionally, they help remove stale and damp air from the property, which is very helpful if there are any odours lingering in your home. So by not doing so, you will retain a lot of moisture in your home which is when condensation starts to build up and can become damaging to your home and even your health.
What if I don’t have trickle vents fitted?
Not every window has them, as of 15th June 2022 any newly installed windows and doors must be fitted with trickle vents. This is to do with Part F of the Building Regulations that have been updated.
If you don’t have them, then we recommend you keep your windows on the safety latch which will do the same job but there is obviously a security risk here so just be aware of that and maybe only keep them like that when your home for example.
Will it affect my heating?
This is one popular question and this is why people close trickle vents. The truth of the matter is, it’s such a little vent that you wouldn’t even notice it and if it’s keeping your home ‘sweat free’ then it’s worth it. The moisture that will stay in your home if you don’t keep these open will make the room feel damp and cold anyway (especially if drying clothes). So it’s better to have some fresh air trickling into the room, we all stay a little bit healthier that way too. Just cast your mind back to Covid lockdown when a well-ventilated room was and still is a healthy thing to do.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this month’s blog, I found this a really interesting topic to talk about as a fellow homeowner myself I didn’t really take much notice of our trickle vents beforehand but now I know just how beneficial they are to allow a home breathe!
So if you’re reading this and, like me, haven’t paid much attention to your trickle vents then
1. Go check what windows do have in your home.
2. GO OPEN THEM!
Thanks for reading 🙂
Emily Hamblin
Marketing Executive for V&L Architects
October 2022