Why is Part F changing?
Over recent decades our existing homes have been retrofitted with high performance windows, cavity wall, solid wall and loft insulation, often without regard for adequate extraction, air circulation or ventilation.
The stale air and unwanted moisture produced in homes is causing dampness, mould, and subsequent health conditions. The Regulations have been updated to promote the installation of appropriate measures.
It is the responsibility of the Window Installer to ensure the installation meets the new requirements.
Existing dwellings undergoing refurbishment with replacement windows will require background (trickle) ventilation. Night vents do not count and can not be used as a method of background ventilation.
If the existing windows have vents, the vents on the new windows must not be smaller than the vents in the original window.
If no vents are on the existing windows, then the replacement windows must have vents which meet Part F requirements
| Habitable | NON Habitable | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen, Bedroom, Lounge, Reception, Study, Ofice, Dining, Gym, Family, Play, Loft, Library, Music | Hall, Landing, Cupboard, Garage, Entrance, Conservatory | Bathroom, Shower (both with or without toilet) | WC, Utility, Laundry |
| 8000mm EA | No Vents Required | 4000mm EA | No Min - Fit largest possible |
Unless a property has been designed to use Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery, then Background Ventilators will be required.
Please see the table below.
Seek expert advice if:
Where a kitchen and living room are not separate rooms (i.e. open plan), at least 3 vents of the same EA as for other habitable rooms should be used.
The total number of ventilators installed in a dwelling’s habitable rooms and kitchens should be no fewer than five, except in one-bedroom properties, where there should be no fewer than four.
Minimum equivalent area of background ventilators for natural ventilation.
| Room | Minimum equivelant area of background ventilators for dwellings with multiple floors | Minimum equivelant area of background ventilators for single-story dwellings |
|---|---|---|
| Habitable Rooms | 8000mm | 10,000mm |
| Kitchen | 8000mm | 10,000mm |
| Utility Room | No minimum | No minimum |
| Bathroom | 4000mm | 4000mm |
| Sanitary Accommodation | No minimum | No minimum |
| Glazpart Link Vent | Width | Through the Sash (10mm Rout) | Frame / Extension (13mm Rout) | Helpful Hints |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (2,500 EA) | 235mm | 2,000 EA* | 2,500 EA* | Ideal for small WC windows or where design suits vents through sashes |
| Medium (4,000 EA) | 380mm | 3,200 EA* | 4,000 EA* | 75% of the windows would accommodate this vent through the frame or extension |
| Large (5,000 EA) | 455mm | 4,000 EA* | 5,000 EA* | Single story dwellings and useful for through the sash in a single opener |
Document F Volume 1 applies to ‘dwellings’. A dwelling is described as a self contained unit.
All the information on this page relates to Document F Volume 1 so only relates to self contained homes.
For halls of residence, hotels, residential homes, hostels etc please refer to Approved Document F Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings.
Document F does not apply to work subject to a building notice, full plans application or initial notice submitted before 15th June 2022, provided that work for each building is started before 15th June 2023.
However, this requires a full property assessment of any energy efficiency measures fitted since the property was built.
If 2 or more energy efficiency measures have been undertaken it is likely that the property will be less well ventilated so therefore trickle vents will be required to ensure that there is adequate ventilation.
See table 3.1 of Part F for a list of energy efficiency measures.
If it is only windows and doors that are being replaced and no other energy efficiency measures are being fitted, follow the rules for replacement windows.
Yes. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery or continuous mechanical ventilation are other methods. This needs to be in working order.
You need to get a declaration from the homeowner that they will be doing this and this needs to be signed and dated and form part of your contract with the customer.
Fit vents that are as close as possible to the required size.
It is advisable to take photos of the windows you are removing for your records as this could be evidence in an inspection.
Vents should be 1700mm above floor level.
See page 1 of Document F. for a definition of buildings that may be exempt.
Refer to the local authority for guidance on listed buildings, historic buildings and buildings in conservation areas.
Please note that it states that work undertaken should comply with the ventilation standard in Part F where possible.
As Part F comes under the Building Act 1984, building work must meet the requirements. It is the responsibility of the Installer to ensure this happens.
No. This would not be accepted during an inspection and the homeowner would not have the FENSA / CERTASS (or equivalent) documentation which will be required if they sell their home.
If the existing property is on a major road or in an area where the pollution levels exceed the limits in Table 2.1 of Approved Document F (Volume 1, 2021 edition) expert advice should be sought.
Because of the sheer volume of orders we take we can’t go through each order and check for vents. Please add vents when requesting a quote if possible and check that they are on the order.
We will try to advise where possible to the best of our understanding of the Regulations.
New Part F rules for Wales have not yet been released so the current rules apply to England only.
Please note that this information has been put together as guidance only and is not intended to fully replicate every item covered Part F. Our guide should be read in conjunction with the full Part F document on the Government website and the information and guidance produced by the self certification organisation you are a member of (CERTASS, FENSA etc.)
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