Air Bricks

Joined
18 Aug 2006
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Sussex
Country
United Kingdom
We're moving to a new (to us) house (build in 1964).

1/ There is a gas fire in the living room, but there appears to be no air brick for ventilation. Do we need to install one. The previous occupiers didnt have one installed and used the fire regularly, but that doesnt mean its right, or safe?
2/ there is an air brick in the kitchen, behind the freestanding cooker. Is this adequate, or does the air brick need to be more exposed to allow airflow as the cooker and boiler are both in the kitchen?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

David
 
Sponsored Links
According to a recent BG Homecare inspection I had (it came 'free' with the boiler install) you must have an air-brick - but I'm not sure what level of officaldom that adhears to.

We have a 1904 house with a gas fire in the front room - we have lourves, 3mm glass, a chimney that draws really well, lots of air coming up from the floorboards and a nice breeze flowing through the room and out the back door, and we still 'need' an air-brick!
 
Many older houses did not have air bricks installed & this was not really a problem with the original leaking & draughty old windows. Problems can arise when you fit modern double glazing as these effectively seal the room so that flues may no longer extract the burnt gasses efficiently. Current regulations require rooms housing a fossil burning fuel appliance (open fire, gas fire, boiler, cooker) to be permanently ventilated – an open air brick; openings with closable louvers or relying on trickle vents in the windows is no longer acceptable.

Having replaced all of the windows in my 60’s property, I am just about to install fixed ventilation. Re your kitchen; current regs. also require forced ventilation (a fan) & mounting an external extractor fan over the cooker is probably the easiest way to achieve this. Re the existing air brick, it depends where it is in relation to the boiler (is it floor or wall mounted?), as long as there is a free flow of air to the boiler it’s OK. I’m fitting one to vent directly into the void under the kitchen unit plinth area where my floor standing boiler is fitted. I am also fitting an air brick into my lounge directly opposite where we have an open fire & conventional flue.
 
Sponsored Links
I seem to remember reading that a gas fire only requires an air brick if it exceeds a particular consumption.
I would have expected more posters regarding this topic.
 
Diyisfun said:
I seem to remember reading that a gas fire only requires an air brick if it exceeds a particular consumption.
I would have expected more posters regarding this topic.
You may be right but such fires will probably be of the type sold for visual effect only where oxygen consumption is minimal & they have no serious heat output.
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top