Potentially a silly building question

[JS2004]

Hi guys,

 

This might be a silly question but it doesn’t hurt to ask. When it comes to DIY I am somewhat of a novice and I know we have a few builders on this forum so hopefully I can get some advice.

 

Ive bought a mid-terraced house (approx 1940s) and I am in the process of redecorating it.

 

There is a hole covered by an old style slidey plastic vent in the bedroom, approx 2 ft high from the floor. It isnt very large, probably 30 cm by 20 cm.

 

My intial plan was to brick / fill the hole so that I could paper over it, however I mentioned this to a work colleague and he asked me why a vent was there in the first place and if its supposed to be there.

 

I have done a few searches on DIY forums and found mixed responses. Some people say its dangerous where as others say its needed to prevent damp and allow air flow so now I am in two minds about bricking it up or not.

 

I suspect that there was a coal fire downstairs at one point. This is now a gas fire, but I have capped it off and disconnected it. My long term plan is an installation of a log burner with its own flue.

 

Has anyone had experience with vents on chimney breasts in a bedroom? I would like to brick it up but concerned that there may be some really obvious reasons why its supposed to be there (or some very good reasons to brick it up).

 

Cheers guys

[SteveR]

Any issues with Radon gas in the area?

[JS2004]

A map of the area shows 0% houses above the action level (hull)

[David P]

The vent is to ventilate the old chimney and also prevents damp in the room from condensation. (Capped chimneys should have an air-brick fitted into the stack.)

 

Without ventilation the inside of the chimney could become damp and sweat the acidic soot and maybe also efflorescent salts through the brickwork, plaster, paper and paint.

 

You could remove the the unwanted flu (half of it) or the chimney breast complete (both flu's) and make the bedroom a little or a lot larger?

[probrox]

As above, the vent is needed for the chimney breast. When we block up fireplaces at work we are always required to leave the chimeny breast ventilated.

[The Raven]

Funny this should come up, i went to a house today that was suffering from damp. The problem was they had capped the chimney and not installed a vent in the breast.

[JS2004]

Right - turns out it wasnt such a silly question after all then and I am glad I asked it!

 

I had thought about knocking through the stack to make the room bigger but the gain outweighs the cost as I imagine its not a cheap job to pin up the chimney. I will be hollowing the downstairs breast out though in prep for the log burner.

 

As I am papering that wall I had almost started to brick it up / fill it ni to make the papering easier. What I think ill do now is buy one of those shiney brass flush fitting vents and install that after I have papered. It should make it look smart without the risk of causing the above mentioned problems.

 

If I had not disconnected the gas fire downstairs id be a lot more concerned about the potential of carbon monoxide -but its not going to be used and my ideal replacement is a nice log burner with its own flue, which would hopefully prevent smoke coming into the bedroom but still allow the airflor in the stack.

 

Thanks for your feedback and help guys - much appreciated as always

[ubersonic]

Your forgetting the most important bit, if you block it all off how does Santa get down :O

[David P]

What you are tinkering with is simple stuff when you know what you are doing, but a DIYer can get it dangerously wrong.

 

I suggest you remember an old mate that grew up to be a lowly construction worker and go and buy him a pint.