I've just bought a house built in the 1970s. In the kitchen, there are two ventilation grilles, one just above skirting level, the other just below ceiling level. I'm wondering why these were installed and whether they are still necessaryas I haven't seen such grilles in any other house I've owned. The kitchen had an old gas boiler in it but I've had that replaced with a new one. The reason I ask is that I'm installing a new kitchen and I don't want to cover up the vents with cabinets if they really are necessary. Can anyone help? Many thanks.
Are old ventilation grilles in kitchen necessary?
- Thread starter NickStone
- Start date
then it will have needed air inlet to feed the flame, so hot air can be sucked up the chimney. A modern room-sealed boiler has its own inlet round the back, concentric with where the hot gases go out, so does not have the same need.
there may be some other factor I haven't though of (I am not a gas person).
there may be some other factor I haven't though of (I am not a gas person).
B
breezer
knocked our vent out and put an electric fan it,
big-all said:
Well, I was planning to have a gas hob and it would have a hood over it, so yes you make a good point. Perhaps it would be better to go for an induction hob. (The oven would be electric). What worries me a bit is that the previous owners put in sealed unit double glazing with no trickle vents. I'd be really happy to keep the ventilation grilles if they weren't in places where I want to have units.
you need to ventilate when cooking regardless of the energy used to cook. 
noseall said:you need to ventilate when cooking regardless of the energy used to cook.
You mean ventilation as in extraction of steam and cooking smells? Understood, noseall. I think would probably be taken care of by the hood over the hob.
As an addendum to the above, I'm just wondering how people who put in double-glazing units without trickle vents mange to ventilate their properties? The no-trickle vent argument seems to be that trickle vents are ugly, but on health grounds alone, it doesn't make sense to create a semi-sealed environment. Ever since double-glazing was introduced into this country, it's always been touted as an 'answer' in itself. Only comparatively recently have fresh-air heat-recovery systems been available. Yet, in winter, when you don't really want to open your windows, these are essential if you don't want condensation in the fabric of your building.
breezer said:
Thanks, breezer. That's not a bad idea. I must say I do worry about condensation, etc in kitchens now that everyone's gone mad with double-glazing but this house would have been built without dg, which made me wonder about the original purpose of the vents. (I just wish there was one in the bathroom. No vents and no opportunity for fitting an extractor either as the whole outside wall is window from waist up.)
NickStone said:
go out through the roof via a tile vent terminal or lead slate.
[quote="noseall
go out through the roof via a tile vent terminal or lead slate.[/quote]
Thanks, Noseall. That figures. It's actually a flat roof and I'm having it replaced within the next few weeks so might speak to the roofing contractor about this. It's co-ordination that always seems to be the difficulty when you're having two jobs done at once. (eg. Dave can come on Thursday after Tim's been on Tuesday, but then Tim gets delayed and Dave can't fit you in for another 6 weeks.
)
go out through the roof via a tile vent terminal or lead slate.[/quote]
Thanks, Noseall. That figures. It's actually a flat roof and I'm having it replaced within the next few weeks so might speak to the roofing contractor about this. It's co-ordination that always seems to be the difficulty when you're having two jobs done at once. (eg. Dave can come on Thursday after Tim's been on Tuesday, but then Tim gets delayed and Dave can't fit you in for another 6 weeks.
)Nick many kitchens in the 70s were still built with larders(b4 fridges were so widespread)these larders always had vents in the positions you describe. if these vents are near a corner they are probably remnants of a long gone larder and can be covered up with no problems
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