This is a sponsored article by Glazpart and REHAU:
In response to impending changes to Part F of the Building Regulations increasing requirements for ventilation, REHAU has partnered with plastic injection moulder Glazpart to expand its frame accessory selection to include trickle vents.
Featuring an innovative ‘link’ suitable for REHAU profiles that allows the closure plate to be positioned to reduce draughts while directing air away from occupants, the new trickle vent was developed to future-proof new frames. Specifically, trickle vents will need to be installed on all new and replacement windows from 15th June 2022 in accordance with ventilation requirements laid out in Approved Document F (ADF).
These regulatory changes have been adopted in order to improve occupant health and ensure good air quality by providing adequate means of ventilation. As Malcolm Taylor, Commercial Product Manager at REHAU Windows, explains, these updates have been made to address a longstanding concern in the fenestration sector.
“Ventilation was previously addressed in earlier guidance documents, but both naturally ventilated homes and those with continuous mechanical extracts fell short of provisions laid out in ADF. Yet with COVID highlighting and exacerbating the need for good air quality, the spotlight has fallen on the aerodynamic performance of windows.
“These new regulations have therefore greatly increased equivalent area requirements, which in turn has grown demand for both Link Vent 5000, and 2500 equivalent air area (EQA) trickle vents. As such, in collaboration with the experts at Glazpart, we wanted to develop solutions in both sizes that would help futureproof frames against changing regulations.”
REHAU and Glazpart’s new trickle vent is available as a fit-and-forget zero maintenance solution with a combined screw or clip-in fixing and enjoys excellent UV colour stability. It is available in a wide range of colours to match REHAU profiles, and the Link-vent 5000 closure plate is split to allow for 50% opening and further ease the operation of the ventilator.
“The transformational impact of these new regulations cannot be understated, and this can be seen with fabricators. By selecting the 5000 EQA vent, this allows standardisation to meet requirements for dwellings and single-storey dwellings, including but not limited to bungalows,” says Dean Bradley, Sales and Marketing Manager at Glazpart Ltd. “For example, once the updates to Approved Document F come into force, fabricator usage of vents in the replacement and trade markets alone will increase from an average of 30% to over 95%.
“Consequently, it is vital that organisations such as Glazpart and REHAU come together to help fenestration professionals better navigate this new regulatory landscape. This new trickle vent is a great example of this approach in action, allowing fabricators and installers to pass on the energy efficiency benefits of polymer frames while protecting the health of building occupants.”
For more information on trickle vent accessories, click here.
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If you really want to avoid draughts then a structurally rigid metal vent with a gasket and a positive closure mechanism (so you know when it’s shut) is the way to go. Not only does it offer those benefits to the end user, it makes the sale of the concept of needing trickle ventilators easier for the window salesperson. The slight additional cost over a plastic vent is outweighed by the plus points :-)