Fresh air!

[Graham Jones]

Having recently moved to a house with PVCu double gazing I have noticed how stuffy the environment inside the house is now that the windows are closed for Winter. The wife is also complaining how tired she is and how stale the air seems. My previous home was quite draughty.

I could simply install an air brick in each room but this would allow the cold and traffic noise to enter. I do quite like the sealed environment double galzing gives.

So any suggestions on creating a fresher feel inside the house would be more than welcome.

Thanks

Graham

[Alex]

Surely it's not that cold that you can't open them a bit, at least some of the time?

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Yep! it ain't winter just yet. Nice breeze coming from me back window into living room.

-- Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

[Graham Jones]

True but I don't want to have to remember to check the windows before I leave the house. I more permanent solution would be better.

[meow2222]

HRV, it provides ventilation with partial heat recovery. If traffic noise is a major issue, a sound absorbing labyrinth is impressively effective.

All this sealing up is a rather unhealthy trend imho.

NT

[Rob Morley]

Floor and ceiling vents? (Assuming you have a vented suspended floor and access to the roof space).

[Cicero]

================= Have a look at the locking catches on your windows. They can usually be locked with the window fractionally open (about 1/4") to provide trickle ventilation. Have a look for some kind of groove in the fixed locking plate(s). If yours don't have this facility consider replacing a few with new ones to get the desired effect. When locked in the trickle vent position they're almost as secure as when fully locked.

Cic.

[PeTe33]

I have the same problem. No ventilation anywhere apart from one bedroom which meant the bathroom fan used this as it's only source of fresh air.

I was about to go down the air-brick route, even got the things from B&Q as I couldn't find any suppliers of "Trickle vents" to fit as an after market addition to the bedroom windows... then, my good lady decided to ask the brother in-law who works for a double-glazing firm and he arrived with a handful. Might be worth contacting a local Double glazing firm to see if they can flog you some.

[John Schmitt]

Have you tried an ionizer? While it is not certain that it is crank science or not, my ex-boss found it worked to quell his hayfever. A unit costs somewhere about UKP40, possibly worth a try.

but one of many.

John Schmitt

[Dave Fawthrop]

| Having recently moved to a house with PVCu double gazing I have noticed | how stuffy the environment inside the house is now that the windows are | closed for Winter. The wife is also complaining how tired she is and how | stale the air seems. My previous home was quite draughty. | | I could simply install an air brick in each room but this would allow | the cold and traffic noise to enter. I do quite like the sealed | environment double galzing gives. | | So any suggestions on creating a fresher feel inside the house would be | more than welcome.

Have you tried turning the thermostat(s) down a bit? The windows should have a opening which allows some ventilation. This 1/2inch by 15 inches gap, in my house windows provided too much ventilation, so I have blocked most of it off with some 12mm stripwood.

[Rob Morley]

They're good at removing fine particles from the air, definitely not cranky, but probably not much good if humidity is a major part of the problem.

[Keith G. Powell]

Perhaps extractor/intractor fans fitted with a heat exchanger such as those made by Baxi may solve your problem?

Keith G. Powell

[PeTe33]

As you will notice by the amount of dirt and crap that sticks to them and everything else within close proximity.

[Christian McArdle]

Well, the best (but not cheapest or easiest) solution is heat recovery ventilation, which means that the outgoing manky humid air is used to heat the clean fresh incoming air, which is much more comfortable and much more energy efficient.

If you have well ventilated floor cavities, then venting from there into the room provides a simple method, without introducing excessive draughts or noise.

Christian.

[Rob Morley]

Indeed - place them on something that's easy to clean or disposable.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Must be quite old DG. All modern stuff has (adjustable) vents above the windows.

[graham]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

When you find out the cause make sure you patent the solution before someone rips off this money spinning winner. (:-)

Graham

[chris French]

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

The UPVC DG in my last house was installed in 2000 - not old in my book, it didn't have trickle vents.

[Andrew Gabriel]

It's an option when you order it.