Advice about Air Vents in bedroom wall

[maverick]

Hello,
Please, I would like some advice concerning air vents, i have two vents in my back bedroom, they are located on the back wall 2m off the floor, 2m apart.
They were apparently installed several years ago after the bedroom was severely flooded due to a burst pipe in the ceiling.
Apart from making the bedroom really cold i was wondering if they have served their purpose, and would like to block them up. There aren't any other vents in walls, in the house.
The building is early 19th century and experience some occasional condensation, but don't think any of the rooms are damp.
Any advice and comments greatlfully received!!
Thanks.
Nick

 

[Deluks]

If you have draughtproof windows, (ie: double glazing) then there will be very little opportunity for the room to 'breathe' unless there are already trickle vents in the windows themselves.
You'll probably get away with blocking one up but I wouldn't do both, consider a 'hit & miss' vent, with a slider so that the vent can be open or closed. Ventilation is more important than most people realise, especially in solid wall construction such as you probably have.

 

[maverick]

Many thanks for your prompt reply. I forgot to mention, in the same wall there are two large sash windows, which let quite a lot of draft in as well, they are not double glazed! It would be great to get rid of one, at least, as they look pretty bad on the wall, and i want to redecorate soon.

 

[Deluks]

Will be ok then, maybe keep one but make it a bit smaller. But then I'm a bit of a fresh air freak.

 

[ModernMaterials]

I reckon the easiest solution is what deluks already said: ie: spend about £4 on 2 plastic, closable vent covers.

I am assuming you have plaster vent covers at the moment? If you do they come off really easily by hitting them squarely with a bolster. Then its just a matter of glueing the plastic covers on with silicon sealer. (If they slip before the sealer hardens just tap some small panel pins into the plaster to support them.

A lot easier than bricking upo voids and replastering and if you get plastic windows in the future you still have the option of 2 closable vents.

 

[simoniris]

I'm with deluks - if I can't measure wind speed with my weather station from my bed I'm not happy..... double glazing? for wimps....