Blocking up air bricks

[needsomehelp]

Hello -

I have a very small house (2 bed mid-terrace) with a draughty kitchen. In fact, it's so draughty that the central heating never reaches cut-off when the weather is very cold.

I noticed that there are two air bricks, each about 20cm by 20cm (the "grid of holes" type), directly above one another on the outside wall of my kitchen. The cold draught comes directly from them (suprisingly enough!).

This seems excessive to me, and so I'm wondering whether they are even required, or whether I can block them up? I've read a lot of articles advising AGAINST doing this, so I'm trying to be cautious and ask here first

The important thing is that I have a gas boiler in the kitchen, which vents directly to the outside. So my concern is whether the air bricks are related to this.

Also, the floors are concrete and the house has brick cavity walls (house built around 1985).

Many thanks

________________________
Moderator,

I have moved this to Plumbing as it maybe under gas regulations.

 

[weareleeds]

If your boiler is open flued don't even think of blocking any vents unless you are feeling suicidal also i would highly recommend getting it checked every year & also get a co detector

 

[bab]

dore ya boiler hav a chimney or a big box on it out side.Better still what boiler is it.

 

[needsomehelp]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I checked the boiler last night and it's a Potterton Netaheat.

Apologies for my lack of technical knowledge, but the flue to the outside appears to be both drawing air and expelling hot exhaust. It looks like a tube inside a tube, with metal fins across it.

So does this mean that the air bricks are serving no purpose then? I can see that if the boiler was drawing air from the room, it would be dangerous to block up the air bricks. But if it's drawing air from outside.....

Thanks again.