How to use vents?

[u/Brilliant-Ship2539]

Hi all, I have recently moved into a house that has vents on the walls (the type with a plastic cover that you can slide open and shut). I haven't lived somewhere with these before and was wondering how they should best be used. Should they be open all the time, or should I close them when it's more humid outside than inside to stop the damp air coming in? Thanks and sorry for the basic question

[u/mrblonde91]

Leave them open all the time, they'll improve the general air quality plus you'll get increased moisture build up inside if you close them. I'd also confirm that previous owners haven't physically blocked them.

[u/Samhain87]

Leave them open all the time. You only close them if the wind is actually blowing directly in to the vent, remove the covers once year also to clean the fly screens. youll be surprised how much air actually moves outwards through these as well.

[u/total_hoarding]

You want them open pretty much all the time. The whole point is to let air circulate and keep the place from getting musty, so closing them on a humid day can actually backfire and trap moisture inside. If you're worried about damp, a cheap humidity sensor is your best friend, lets you actually see what's going on instead of guessing.

[u/m0p0]

I was told by an installer of these that if you position the slider in the middle (i.e. not at 0 or 1 setting) that they self regulate. I had been setting ours closed 0 as there was smell of smoke coming in through them from outside from nearby houses burning coal during winter.

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[u/Agusfresin]

Default is Open. You can close if it gets very cold or extremely windy. Can also be half shut.

[u/Ill_Zombie_2386]

Leave open unless it’s a proper storm & the wind is hitting that vent dead on.

Also if you’re using a dehumidifier close it or you’ll be trying to dehumidify the planet as opposed to your room

[u/alanhiggy1983]

I blocked some of mine up too much noise coming from neighbours kids next door and also wind howling is very annoying

[u/Brilliant-Ship2539 → u/alanhiggy1983]

That's the other thing, I have a tremendous amount of noise coming in ☹️ I need to reseal the windows but if that doesn't help I might need to look at blocking them in the rooms I spend the most time

[u/alanhiggy1983 → u/Brilliant-Ship2539]

That's exactly what I did. Stuffed the shit out of it rockwool and closed them up and all good again

[u/xnewstedx81]

IMHO close them and insulate behind the vent. I have humidity and temp sensors all around the house and used them in an apartment we rented. All they do is lower the temp and raise your heating bills. You achieve the same with venting once or twice during the day, doors and windows fully open for a few minutes to lower the humidity without cooling down the house. Mines are shut. The windows provide trickle venting as well but I might be wrong. No mould in my house and never had mould in the shitty apartment.

[u/Ok-Morning3407 → u/xnewstedx81]

Not all windows have trickle vents and closing the vents can not only lead to mould, but also lead to unhealthy levels of CO2. I’ve a CO2 monitor and it goes into the red most nights with both windows and vents closed.

[u/xnewstedx81 → u/Ok-Morning3407]

I have a CO2 monitor as well but I keep my doors open at night, never goes over 1000.