Air bricks - solid floor, not cavity, no boiler - required?

[jonwestuk]

Really quick question. I am renovating my house and I have an old ground floor room that used to house the air central heating boiler. There is a large double air brick in the wall a few inches from the ceiling. I am wondering if this is actually required anymore?

The floor structure is solid and, having taken off the room side plastic cover, I can see that it is not venting any wall cavity. It is therefore only ventilating the room. Having read as many posts as relevant using the search function, I believe its purpose was to vent the old air central heating unit that used to be in the middle of the room and that exhausted through an asbestos duct to the roof.

My question is therefore, do I need the air brick or am I safe to fill it in?

The house is 1957 terraced 3 story townhouse. It has no other air bricks anywhere else and the boiler is a modern Bosch condensing boiler which is in a different room and exhausts out the back of the house.

Thanks for all your help.

Jon

 

[Nige F]

Really quick question.

My question is therefore, do I need the air brick ?



Jon

No.

 

[^woody^]

If there is no gas appliance in the room, then you don't need an air vent for that.

But whether you need the ventilation to control humidity and condensation is another matter.

 

[jonwestuk]

But whether you need the ventilation to control humidity and condensation is another matter.

Quick question about humidity control. What is the best practice approach to ensuring humidity does not become an issue?

The house is a 3 story town house. I have vents in the double glazing in the 3 rooms on the ground floor and an extractor in the shower room on that floor. There is no ventilation on the middle floor (except for windows). On the top floor I have an extractor in the bathroom. I am also planning on putting extractors in each bedroom to remove the hot air from the bedrooms in summer however there are no other options (other than opening a window) for ventilation.

Humidity has not ever been an issue in the house, but I am wondering if there are any other things that I need to be aware of or plan for whilst doing my renovations?

 

[endecotp]

Put a washing line in the garden.

 

[Joe Malone]

Yes, because all condensation is caused by drying washing indoors.
You can lose the air brick if you have no other gas appliances in the property with a supplementary air requirement. It's dangerous to simply say that you have a roomed sealed boiler therefore it's no longer required. Do you have a gas hob or an independent gas fire installed?
Uncontrolled ventilation, such as open windows or air bricks does absolutely nothing to manage condensation so if the ventilation isn't required for gas appliances then you should get it blocked up.