Stuart Judge, managing director of Tradelink, explains what the new Part F of the
Building Regulations means for window installers…
Trickle vents in windows have long been used in the background as a means of
complying with Part F of the Building Regulations: ventilation. While this has not
always been straightforward, things have become more complicated with the new
2022 building regulations and it is worth remembering that the burden of compliance
falls on the window installer.
For the glazing industry, the most relevant change in Part F concerns background
ventilation: the requirement for ventilation is much bigger than it used to be. The way
background ventilation is calculated has also changed, it has been amended to
individual room values rather than whole house figures.
Pictured is a standard trickle vent from Tradelink
Background ventilation is vital as it supplies outdoor air for the health of the building
and its occupants. As homes become ever more airtight to reduce heat loss through
air permeability, the importance of controlled ventilation increases. Even so, it is
important to look at the bigger picture. Ventilation through a trickle vent in the frame
or sash is counterintuitive to what we are trying to do to increase the overall thermal
efficiency of windows, so it is vital that they are used only where needed.
How the regulations are interpreted will, inevitably, vary greatly. Every case has to
be considered on its merits because the required ventilation can be achieved not just
via trickle vents in windows but through other forms of ventilation, such as
mechanical whole house ventilation systems. This means that, while the duty of care
falls on the installer at the point of sale – not the homeowner, developer, fabricator or
manufacturer – understanding the bigger picture for any particular installation is not
always easy.
Trickle vents are often resisted by the other parties on the grounds of aesthetics. It is
well documented that homeowners are not keen on any increase in the number or
size of trickle vents. Despite this, homeowners will not be able to sign a disclaimer;
the installation must conform to building regulations. Any attempt to circumvent the
rules would come back to the installer, not the homeowner. Understandably,
installers may put in trickle vents whether they need them or not to be sure they are
complying with the regulations.
Although the vents are not that much bigger than before, the way that they operate
and the measurement of their airflow has significantly changed. As a window
manufacturer, we are working to ensure we provide the best commercial offer for the
customer and the right choice of trickle vent. We have changed our vents to be able
to provide ventilation through the use of a single ventilator. We have also worked
hard to adapt our manufacturing details and have achieved good colour matching
and pattern matching to ensure the vents are as unobtrusive as possible.
While we cannot tell installers whether a particular window requires trickle vents, we
can guide them through the regulations and equip them with the documentation and
solutions to meet the new regulations.
For further information, please visit https://tradelinkdirect.com
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