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PRO INSTALLER JULY 2014
PRO PRODUCTS
@proinstaller1
TRICKLE VENTS? I HATE ‘EM!
In this lighthearted article for Clearview, Andrew Halsall, Managing Director
of Origin Frames, a leading manufacturer of Aluminium Folding Sliding
doors and Aluminium windows tackles one of his pet hates: trickle vents.
As a user of doors and windows
for more than half a century, I can
honestly say that I have never once
had the occasion to use a trickle
vent. To me, it is obvious that if a
room is too hot or maybe poorly
ventilated, you open a door or window – after all, they do open, that is
part of their actual function.
I’ve yet to hear anyone say – in a home,
shop, hotel etc – “I’ll just open a trickle
vent as it’s a little stuffy in here.”
Having got that off my chest, I admit that
my personal employment background is
outside of the door and window industry so I have a very limited technical knowledge of how things actually work and the
underlying reasons for them.
But when I came into this industry, one of
the things that struck me as really odd was
the insistence of trickle vents on door and
window products.
From my point of view - as a manufacturer of aesthetically attractive products
that need to be manufactured to minimal
tolerances - the inclusion of trickle vents is
an ugly addition that puts extra pressure
on the fabrication process. It also adds an
extra “potentially” moving part that has the
capacity to fail. Finally, it adds extra costs
to the product that the customers have to
stand.
If this is a safety feature, surely it cannot
be down to the operator to engage it?
I doubt if I am the only person who
believes that the trickle vent is just an idea
that has been universally accepted as correct when in reality, it is a bit of nonsense.
It is useless. What architect or designer
would suggest that a building should be
ventilated by the discretion of an untrained
‘If this is a safety feature,
surely it cannot be down to
the operator to engage it?’
user? Who would suggest the desecration
of a “well-designed” door or window