Useful Information about Architectural Glazing

How Can Glazing Assist With Ventilation?

What is ventilation and why is it important?

The definition of ventilation is “the provision of fresh air into a room, building etc”. Ventilation allows for the air around us when we are indoors to be refreshed and replaced either naturally or with the help of machinery such as air conditioning.

Having exceptional ventilation and ventilation options can improve the quality of living. In smaller spaces ventilation is key as the common “stuffy” feeling can present itself quite easily. Due to recent building regulation changes, Approved Document Part F was created with the sole purpose of setting guidelines and rules regarding ventilation for renovations, existing homes and new builds.

Buildings can have two types of ventilation, Purge and Background. Purge ventilation encapsulates all systems that assist with ventilation using mechanical force, for example an air conditioning unit is classed as a Purge system. On the other hand, background ventilation would be an open door or trickle vents which allow for ongoing flow of air without any mechanical assistance.  

What is Approved Document F?

Approved document F applies to building ventilation and air quality. The guidance within the document states that adequate ventilation must be provided to ensure that moisture build-up cannot impact the buildings’ structure. The most common ways of adhering to these guidelines are to install extractor fans, have ample amounts of opening windows and to have more complicated systems such as air conditioning. It is important to note that Document F applies to England only. Other countries many have variations of these guidelines.

How does ventilation work with glass systems?

Obviously the most common way to use glazing systems such as sliding doors to ventilate a space is to simply open them. Glass rooflights also offer a cost-effective ventilative cooling method. While this is a great option in the summer when the weather is great and you are at no risk of rain, as soon as the autumn, winter and spring months set in, leaving space exposed to the elements can be a risk. With this in mind, we have developed two main solutions to ensure that ventilation is exceptional and in-line with Document F.

Ventilation for Casement windows and doors 

The most common form of ventilation within a glazing design is a ‘trickle vent’.  

Trickle vents are installations that can be part of a systems frame. Trickle vents can be opened when needed and shut when out of use allowing for full control over a space’s ventilation and temperature. A trickle vent is essentially an opening that goes from outside to inside which comprises of a vent canopy (to protect from weather) an insect screen to ensure that flies and other small insects will stay outside and then a series of seals that can be opened with a push system or button system.  

Trickle vents can only be integrated into systems without flush frame finishes and are more commonly used in opening hinged windows and doors. 

Slot aeration for minimal windows

Minimal windows slim sliding doors are one of our most popular systems due to their flush finish and ultra slim 21mm sightlines. With the floor to ceiling design and flush frame finish the system cannot have typical or traditional ventilation installed. Slot Aeration is the solution to this. Slot aeration is functional due to the minimal windows multiple locking point mechanism.

You can lock the sliding doors partially open and create sliding door ventilation over the entire height of the glass door by putting numerous locking points at the locking edge of the narrow sliding door.

The receiving U profile is concealed within the wall, and the T junction of the locking profile slides out of it slightly. This offers full height ventilation for the sliding door in a secured design while gradually loosening the weather tight connection at this locking edge.

Take a closer look at slot aeration on the minimal windows website.

 

If you have any questions regarding ventilation and glazing systems, contact the IQ team today!