Air bricks causing a draught

[Tully]

Hi,
The lounge used to have a real fire when the house was built its now got an electric fire effect fitted and the chimney is still vented and aired. The question is I have two square very large air bricks on the outside wall each end of the room. In the room they are covered with cheap broken plastic vents, so the room is draughty cold and uncomfortable. How/Can I ? close these up? Just cement or make a gap or use some celotex suggestions please thank you very much
tully

 

[KenGMac]

Tully, Good evening.

First of, Yes you can block of the two air vents, as for the external, you do not say what the external fabric is? Brick? Roughcast, Masonry?

As for the internal? Yes Cellotex is an option, you could carefully cut the material and using several thicknesses fill the void in the internal leaf of brick? you could then [cheaply] obtain two new air vents and position them over the Cellotex?

As to why the vents were there? could be they were intended to allow air to an open fire? or? are there any indications of a now unused gas feed pipe? if so, the vents would have been positioned to ensure that the gas fire, not a room sealed unit had a free flow of air.

Ken.

 

[Diver Fred]

I'd strongly recommend that you do not seal (block off) the vents but replace the internal fittings - louvers - with more effective ones which can be opened for some of the time or reduced to a small trickle vent. Yes I know that you will get a draught from them when open but a draught is good - it will reduce if not stop damp from condensation.
(I'm speaking from experience here - a tenanted property I owned had a person who sealed off all the vents into her main room and then complained bitterly that she then had condensation on the windows, damp stains on the walls and every any door was opened or closed smoke from the open fire was pulled into the room.)

 

[Tully]

Thank you both, Ken its brick work outside, a cavity and thermo brick which is dot and dab, yes I have just noticed an old gas pipe. I take on what wgt mentions about condensation, however the windows have a fitted vent and I would at some stage like to put in a gas fire and wonder if this could be vented via the fireplace and the outside wall. I would also have carbon m. Detector in room and this is why I have not touched the air blocks but the daught is awful, dont know what to do for the best. Tully.

 

[Burnerman]

If you have no working coal fire, gas fire or wood burning stove then blank the vents off.....no one needs holes in the wall in the winter!
A wood burning stove with an output of 5kW or less is deemed not to need external ventilation as it's expected that usual draught will suffice....that's from Hetas, but naturally a CO detector is vital.
John

 

[foxhole]

Homes need ventilation, damp or a draught, your choice.