Plasterboaring over wall with plastic air vent

[john2k]

My external garden wall in my new-build has now come inside my conservatory and hence it is no longer directly external. Across the bottom of the wall, I have 3 plastic air vents which I assume is for the air gap. I am planning to plasterboard this wall by placing some stud timber onto the brick and then plasterboarding on top. My question is, what do I do with the air vents? Is it ok to cover them or should leave the opening and install new vents in the plasterboard?

 

[KenGMac]

john2k, good evening.

The plastic air vents? are they small vertical about 50.mm high and about 5.mm wide?

If possible? can you upload digital images?

Based on the limited information, there is a probability that the plastic vents are to allow any build up of water in the cavity to be evacuated out of the cavity, these things are a feature of Timber Framed buildings.

Ken.

 

[john2k]

john2k, good evening.

The plastic air vents? are they small vertical about 50.mm high and about 5.mm wide?

If possible? can you upload digital images?

Based on the limited information, there is a probability that the plastic vents are to allow any build up of water in the cavity to be evacuated out of the cavity, these things are a feature of Timber Framed buildings.

Ken.

Thanks for your reply. It's not a timber frame building. It's a new-build only 6 months old. I've attached a photo

 

[John D v2.0]

So there are both types of vents there. The lower one is ventilating your under floor cavity most likely, so you need to make sure it's still getting a free flow of external air. The upper narrow one is a weep vent - basically to allow water from the cavity tray to escape. The cavity tray is to direct any water falling inside the cavity to outside. Since it would no longer be outside, it won't be needed, as there should be new cavity trays installed above the conservatory roof to direct the water out at the flashing level, and there wouldn't be any below.

So in summary, firstly make sure the big brick is still venting to external air (or move it if appropriate), and secondly, ensure there were cavity trays installed above the conservatory flashings.

 

[dom_k]

I doubt there is a new cavity tray for a conservatory.

 

[John D v2.0]

Well, I suppose a conservatory is not a habitable room, but I would have thought the provisions of protecting the interior from damp would apply the same? Or are you saying the installers probably just chased in a flashing if you're lucky and went home with the money?

 

[john2k]

So there are both types of vents there. The lower one is ventilating your under floor cavity most likely, so you need to make sure it's still getting a free flow of external air. The upper narrow one is a weep vent - basically to allow water from the cavity tray to escape. The cavity tray is to direct any water falling inside the cavity to outside. Since it would no longer be outside, it won't be needed, as there should be new cavity trays installed above the conservatory roof to direct the water out at the flashing level, and there wouldn't be any below.

So in summary, firstly make sure the big brick is still venting to external air (or move it if appropriate), and secondly, ensure there were cavity trays installed above the conservatory flashings.

You mention that the lower one is ventilating the under floor cavity. But these are higher than the ground level. The floor is screeded. No provisions were made about these for the conservatory. However if its important to get air in through these vents then I can potentially creating ducting behind the stud-wall routing it to the side of the conservatory which is an external wall. As for the weep vents. There are more above the conservatory. So is it ok to block them up?

 

[John D v2.0]

In that case no idea what the big one is for, maybe it's a mistake or there used to be a gas fire in the room? Or they forgot trickle vents and added that?
If they added the weep vents and trays above the conservatoire then the small one is redundant.