DOORS&WINDOWS
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
not from this industry and I am
prepared to become a complete
convert - if someone could
show me where a conscious
decision to open a trickle vent
has saved the life of a person
(or a small furry animal.)
If not, please - in an industry
currently being overrun by red
tape and regulation -help me to
influence the decision-makers
to change their ideas on trickle
vents in door and window
products.
Let’s banish trickle vents once
and for all!
Scene 1 – A meeting
at the Ministry of
Silly Decisions, a
committee of five:
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 user? Who would
suggest the desecration of a
“well-designed” door or window
with the addition of an unsightly
trickle vent that is genuinely
not wanted or required? It just
appears to be another case of
making the simple and elegant
increasingly more complicated.
I cannot for the life me imagine
the conversation that preceded
the introduction of trickle vents:
it must have been like a Monty
Python sketch.
Chairman: “How should
you improve ventilation in a
house?”
1st person: “Open a door”
2nd person: “Or a window”
3rd person: “ventilation
bricks”
4th person: “Trickle vents”
Chairman: “What’s a trickle
vent?”
4th person: “It’s a stupidlooking thing you can attach
to a door or window that
someone could open to let air
in or out.”
Chairman: “Would it
make manufacturing more
difficult?”
4th person: “Oh yes.”
Chairman: “Would anyone
ever use it?”
4th person: “No, of course
not.”
Chairman: “Would it add to
costs?”
4th person: “Of course.”
Chairman: “Wow that is
genius, it is probably our silliest
decision ever but hey, we will
never get away with it!”
As I have said earlier, I am
e [email protected]
w origin-global.com
*Well, Andrew
certainly makes
his points!
But what is
your view on
trickle vents?
We’d be interested
to hear. Email:
[email protected]
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56
JUL 2014
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To read more, visit www.clearview-uk.com