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New build houses and air vents

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  • 28-11-2017 3:10pm
    #1
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭


    We have moved into a new build and it has one of those pesky airvents in most rooms.

    With the cold weather you can get quite a draft in (and thats with a hit and miss vent fitted closed over)

    anyone got any solutiuons short of stuffing the thing


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    #2
    slavetothegrind
    Registered Users Posts: 2,789 ✭✭✭slavetothegrind


    have you gas appliances in the house?


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    #3
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,844 ✭✭✭daheff


    Cyrus wrote: »

    anyone got any solutiuons short of stuffing the thing

    dont stuff them. then you run the risk of poor ventilation and ultimately mould growing. and thats before you have to worry about faulty appliances causing carbon monoxide poisoning.


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    #4
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    slavetothegrind wrote: »
    have you gas appliances in the house?

    gas fire only, everything else is electric


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    #5
    Idbatterim
    Registered Users Posts: 17,843 ✭✭✭✭Idbatterim


    are vents available that automatically control the vents based on moisture etc?


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    #6
    Askthe EA
    Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭Askthe EA


    Vents in most rooms? Are you sure they are not part of the air to water heating system?


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    #7
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    Askthe EA wrote: »
    Vents in most rooms? Are you sure they are not part of the air to water heating system?

    nope, isnt it to do with the fact that new houses are airtight so they add the vents afterwards to allow fresh air in


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    #8
    enfant terrible
    Registered Users Posts: 4,560 ✭✭✭enfant terrible


    Cyrus wrote: »
    nope, isnt it to do with the fact that new houses are airtight so they add the vents afterwards to allow fresh air in

    Thought all houses had air vents


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    #9
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Cyrus wrote: »
    nope, isnt it to do with the fact that new houses are airtight so they add the vents afterwards to allow fresh air in

    If a house is airtight no vents, postboxes, etc are allowed. Putting in vents would undo all the good insulation. Other methods such as ventilation systems are used.


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    #10
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    Deleted User wrote: »
    If a house is airtight no vents, postboxes, etc are allowed. Putting in vents would undo all the good insulation. Other methods such as ventilation systems are used.

    er

    anyone with a new build house care to comment, any of them i have been in have the same thing


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    #11
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    enfant terrible wrote: »
    Thought all houses had air vents

    not that im aware of


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    #12
    Askthe EA
    Registered Users Posts: 724 ✭✭✭Askthe EA


    Deleted User wrote: »
    If a house is airtight no vents, postboxes, etc are allowed. Putting in vents would undo all the good insulation. Other methods such as ventilation systems are used.

    Thats why I asked about air to water system. There shouldnt be vents in modern houses (or so I thought).


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    #13
    tbayers
    Registered Users Posts: 501 ✭✭✭tbayers


    Recently moved into a new house, all our vents are in the windows at the top, even when close they leave a tiny amount of circulation through.


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    #14
    Alkers
    Registered Users Posts: 6,817 ✭✭✭Alkers


    Idbatterim wrote: »
    are vents available that automatically control the vents based on moisture etc?

    There are yes, you can get humidity controlled vents which regulate the airflow based on the humidity in the room. They are typically used with an extract fan which runs continiously in a bathroom or kithen.


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    #15
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,927 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    Cyrus wrote:
    We have moved into a new build and it has one of those pesky airvents in most rooms.


    You need air vents in every room in the house. What rooms don't have an air vent?


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    #16
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Askthe EA wrote: »
    Thats why I asked about air to water system. There shouldnt be vents in modern houses (or so I thought).

    Yes I agree!


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    #17
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    Askthe EA wrote: »
    Thats why I asked about air to water system. There shouldnt be vents in modern houses (or so I thought).

    here is a kitchen in a brand new A2 rated house

    see to the side of the sliding door at the back

    Kitchen-1-2-1170x600-c-center.jpg


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    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Cyrus wrote: »
    er

    anyone with a new build house care to comment, any of them i have been in have the same thing

    Not if they are airtight! They cannot be airtight if they have vents directly to outside that is impossible. Different systems can be in use as I said but not direct to outside vents otherwise how could the house possibly be airtight?


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    #19
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    You need air vents in every room in the house. What rooms don't have an air vent?

    any room in my parents house for a start off :D


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    #20
    Cyrus
    Registered Users Posts: 19,764 ✭✭✭✭Cyrus


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Not if they are airtight! They cannot be airtight if they have vents directly to outside that is impossible. Different systems can be in use as I said but not direct to outside vents otherwise how could the house possibly be airtight?

    reread my post


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    #21
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    All new houses need to comply with Part F of the Building Regulations. Part F is Ventilation.

    Don’t confuse air tight with ventilation and air change ratios.

    All new houses will either have permanent back ground ventilation and this will be in the form of trickle vents or wall vents as in the OP case. The air change rate (or air tightness) test is Carried out with these blocked up as it is a measure of the air leakage through the fabric.

    If you have no vents then you need to introduce fresh air through a mechanical system and these are generally circular ducts in the ceiling.

    Air to water systems have nothing whatsoever to do with this system.

    No such thing as an air tight house, just one that has a low air change rate.

    Cyrus, nothing you can do as they are required to keep a fresh air circulating through the house.


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    #22
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Not if they are airtight! They cannot be airtight if they have vents directly to outside that is impossible. Different systems can be in use as I said but not direct to outside vents otherwise how could the house possibly be airtight?

    Air tightness tests are carried out with these vents blocked up temporarily.


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    #23
    garancafan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭garancafan


    Sleeper12 wrote: »
    You need air vents in every room in the house.....

    Why?


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    #24
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    garancafan wrote: »
    Why?

    Technical Guidance Document Part F
    Our minimum building standards.

    To ensure an adequate supply of fresh air. They can be permanent vents or a mechanically controlled system.


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    #25
    slavetothegrind
    Registered Users Posts: 2,789 ✭✭✭slavetothegrind


    its a legal requirement with a gas appliance fitted


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    #26
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    slavetothegrind wrote: »
    its a legal requirement with a gas appliance fitted

    Part J covers heat producing appliance such as gas. Vents are for ventilation to the room itself.


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    #27
    garancafan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭garancafan


    slavetothegrind wrote: »
    its a legal requirement with a gas appliance fitted

    That's understandable. But what about a house in which there is no combustion taking place?


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    #28
    Gumbo
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 38,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Gumbo


    garancafan wrote: »
    That's understandable. But what about a house in which there is no combustion taking place?

    As per my previous posts, nothing got to do with gas appliances. It’s fresh air circulation to the dwelling and is still required in houses with no gas fires, boilers etc


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    #29
    Sleeper12
    Registered Users Posts: 16,927 ✭✭✭✭Sleeper12


    garancafan wrote:
    Why?


    When I was a kid in the 70s we had no mould in any room in our house. People didn't suffer from asthma and the likes as much either. I'd wake up on a frosty morning with ice on the inside of my bed window.

    In the 80s and 90's people started to insulate their homes and get double glazing etc. The more cosy we made our homes the less fresh air we had circulating in our homes. Stale air will contribute to mould and condensation. So we need vents in every room.

    Even your attic needs to be able to breathe. If your attic is properly insulated you will notice that the insulation does not go right into the eaves. This is to allow air from outside to to enter the attic. Without it the attic will slowly decay & rot


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    #30
    garancafan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭garancafan


    kceire wrote: »
    All new houses need to comply with Part F of the Building Regulations. Part F is Ventilation.

    Would be grateful for a reference to these regulations.


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    #31
    duvetdayss
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭duvetdayss


    We did a job on the house that involved getting new vents. I could feel the breeze coming in so said it yo the builder and he put some kind of sponge in to make it more of a passive airflow


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