Trickle Vent Replacement and Fitting for Existing Windows

Trickle vents are the small slotted vents along the top of many window frames. They let a steady trickle of fresh air into the room while the window is shut, which helps carry away moisture from cooking, washing and breathing. Over time the plastic covers crack, the sliders snap off or the vent goes missing altogether. Mark replaces broken trickle vents and covers, and can fit new vents into existing frames where the frame is suitable.

• Broken trickle vent covers replaced
• Vents fitted into suitable existing frames
• Colours matched to your frames
• Fixed price confirmed before any work starts
• Send a photo or call

Replacing a broken vent is the simple job. The vent has an inside part, with the slider you open and close, and an outside canopy that stops rain getting in. Either can crack or fade. Replacements come in standard lengths and colours, so a matching vent clips or screws over the existing slots. Bring a photo or the length of the old vent and Mark can match it.

Fitting vents where there were none is more involved. Slots are routed through the top of the frame or sash, and the inside and outside covers fitted over them. Not every frame is suitable: there must be enough depth in the right part of the frame, and on some windows the slot would cut into reinforcement or the glazing area. Mark checks the frame first and tells you whether vents can be fitted cleanly.

Good ventilation helps with condensation on the inside of windows, the water that forms on the room-facing glass on cold mornings. That is different from misting between the two panes of a double glazed unit, which means the unit has failed and needs replacing. Trickle vents won't cure that. Our guide to condensation between glass panes explains the difference.

Building regulations on ventilation apply to new and replacement windows in general terms, and the rules can change, so if you are replacing windows or altering ventilation as part of wider work, check the current requirements before you start. Replacing a broken vent like-for-like on an existing window is a straightforward repair. For other window faults, see our uPVC window repairs page.

Keeping vents working is simple. Vacuum the slots now and then to clear dust and insects, and check the slider moves freely. A vent left permanently shut in a bathroom or kitchen does little good, so if a slider has snapped in the closed position, replacing the vent is worthwhile. Vents are available in white and common frame colours to match your windows. If several vents in the house are cracked or faded, replacing them together on one visit keeps them matching.

How the repair works

1. 1. Photo of the vent A photo of the vent or the frame top helps Mark match or check suitability.
2. 2. Fixed price You get a fixed price confirmed before any work starts.
3. 3. Fit Vents replaced or fitted, sliders checked, and the outside canopy sealed against rain.

Call Mark on 07535 916982 or request a callback.