Is the aIr vent needed if there is no gas fire?

[Maggie1]

Hi,
I live in a bungalow and the chimney breast is bricked up but there is an air vent at the bottom.
I have GCH run from a combi boiler in the bedroom.
I want a wall mounted electric fire, more as a focal point than for heating, so can I wallpaper over this vent or will it cause damp in the chimney?
Many thanks in advance for any help.

 

[stem]

It may cause damp problems, the vent is there to allow air to flow through the chimney to elevate the possibility of it forming.

My parents bungalow was OK without one but it had a short chimney, wasn't exposed much above the roof line, capped / ventilated at the top and in a sheltered position. On the other hand, the house I live in now and which didn't have a vent in a bricked up fireplace when we moved in, had a lot chimney related damp issues. Peeling wallpaper, and damp skirting boards for example, until an air brick was installed which did resolve it.

 

[Maggie1]

Thanks for your reply it seems I need to find out if the chimney is capped.
Thanks again