alternative to tricle vents, which co doent like!

[glayzell]

i have had a belated letter from the CO saying i cannot use tricle/weephole vents, i am thinking about using air bricks, which he has inferred may be ok.... anyone got any thought?
anyone know where i could buy something 'fitting'?

 

[Penners]

If it's a single-glazed window in a listed building, do you really need an alternative?

Nature's own draughts usually do the ventilation job pretty effectively.

 

[biffvernon]

Buildings Regulations, good health and keeping humidity levels low all require adequate ventilation.

Trickle vents in windows are just one of the alternative methods included in the Approved Documents but are not required. I have never included one in my windows.

Air bricks are the traditional solution, Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MHRV) is espoused by the Passivhaus fraternity.

Or is that MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery)?

 

[Pford75]

Biff - Is ventilation a requirement under building regs or just sound advice?

 

[biffvernon]

Yes, it is a Requirement.

Part F of the Building Regs

F1. There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for people in the building.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADF_2006.pdf

 

[Penners]

Our "adequate means of ventilation" would ruin your coiffure, if you stand in a certain place in the hall.

 

[glayzell]

i should probably clarify that the vents refer to the windows on the new extension I am building.

 

[bower1]

I've got away with windows which can be locked slightly open. But some Inspectors don't like it apparently.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I've got away with windows which can be locked slightly open. But some Inspectors don't like it apparently.

It is possible to produce a trickle vent that only shows on the inside face of the window, of course (shall I tell you how, or can you guess?)

 

[Penners]

shall I tell you how...?

Yes sir, please sir....

 

[biffvernon]

Plastic trickle vent cover screwed on the inside and nothing on the outide. Trick is you show the CO the outside of the house while you invite the BCO quickly indoors. It's how they do it in Naarfolk.

 

[skier-hughes]

Then when thney both have left up in Staffs we remove cover, fill holes and enjoy!!!!

 

[Flyfisher]

F1. There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for people in the building.

Isn't it a poor specification that uses the word 'adequate' ? - opens up all sorts of arguments I would think.

There's a poster on a notice board in my local Jewsons advertising 'pressure testing' services for anyone involved with a new build. I gather there's some sort of test that involves pressurising a house to check it's adequately sealed against draughts etc. Presumably something to do with thermal performance.

As we've discussed before, there seems to be an inherent conflict between sealing a house to minimise heat loss and ventilating it to minimise condensation/humidity problems.

I like bower1's suggestion of simply opening the windows to provide 'adequate' ventilation - it seems to work OK in our bathroom and is far simpler (and dare I say 'greener') than messing about with fans and timers.

 

[skier-hughes]

here here, double glazing to minimise heat loss, but you've got to put a hole next to the glass to let the heat out

 

[Penners]

Plastic trickle vent cover screwed on the inside and nothing on the outide. Trick is you show the CO the outside of the house while you invite the BCO quickly indoors. It's how they do it in Naarfolk.

That's outrageous. :shock:


I've made a note of it, thanks.

 

[biffvernon]

F1. There shall be adequate means of ventilation provided for people in the building.

Isn't it a poor specification that uses the word 'adequate' ? - opens up all sorts of arguments I would think.

Not really - that's the way all the Buildings Regs work. The legal bit, 'The Requirement', is brief and deliberately vague, allowing for much interpretation and innovation, unrestricted by any fashion or technology.

Then there's the 'Guidance' in the rest of the 'Approved Document'. This has all the detailed specifications, such as how many square millimetres of ventilation space you need. It isn't the law, but if you do something different then the onus will be upon you to demonstrate to Buildings Control that you have satisfied the spirit of the law.

The Guidance can be changed in the light of new technology or understandings without the need for a new Act of Parliament.

 

[Flyfisher]

Ah, that makes more sense. So, effectively, 'adequate' is defined in a separate document.

I've been more used to specifications being single, complete documents, but then I've never been involved in projects requiring Acts of Parliament.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[biffvernon]

Yes, though it is all in a single, complete document, the Approved Document. When you read it you will see that the 'Requirement' is printed on a green background. This is the legal bit, very short and not closely specified, it uses words like 'adequate'. The rest is 'Guidance', which has the potential to be open to debate, though in practice you need to present convincing evidence if the BCO is to be convinced that what you have done accords with the legal bit.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Plastic trickle vent cover screwed on the inside and nothing on the outide. Trick is you show the CO the outside of the house while you invite the BCO quickly indoors. It's how they do it in Naarfolk.

That's outrageous. :shock:

It's also the wrong answer.

Small diameter holes drilled horizontally (from the inside face) to half the thickness of the opening light frame, meeting similar holes drilled up from the underside of the frame, making an inverted "L" shape in cross section which bypasses any draught sealing between the frame and the opening light. Our BCOs have accepted it.
(sorry, it's a bit difficult to describe without a drawing)

 

[Penners]

A clever solution, Gareth. Thank you.

It lacks the attractive deviousness of Biff's idea, but I suppose one can't have everything.