Hi, I have an Edwardian terraced house, and in the back bedroom there are two cast iron vents at eye level, in the outside wall. We have put plastic covers over them (the ones that slide open/closed), but there is such a draft coming through. Can we block the vents up with some gap filler, or will that cause problems?
Blocking up wall vents in Edwardian house
- Thread starter LizzyG
- Start date
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breezer
vents are there for a reason
Thanks for your very detailed and helpful answer.
I realise that they were originally put there for a reason - 100 years ago they had no central heating etc. But we live in a different age now and I could do without two gaping holes in the wall. What problems is it likely to cause if we block them up?
I realise that they were originally put there for a reason - 100 years ago they had no central heating etc. But we live in a different age now and I could do without two gaping holes in the wall. What problems is it likely to cause if we block them up?
vents were not place 100 years ago to help 'remove' the smoke from fires, to but give moisture etc a way out so that it didn't/doesn't stay in your house and soak in walls, floors etc.
Breezer is right: vents are there for a reason, modern central heating yes or no.
Blocking them up will cause excess air humidity and normal modern day living moisture (cooking, washing, dish-washer etc) to stay in your house if you don't have other vents to remove the extra moist.
Breezer is right: vents are there for a reason, modern central heating yes or no.
Blocking them up will cause excess air humidity and normal modern day living moisture (cooking, washing, dish-washer etc) to stay in your house if you don't have other vents to remove the extra moist.
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breezer
but you are right we do live in a differnt age...........sealed boxes
there is a reg i cant quote it (not my thing) about vents in rooms with gas appliances.
no vents and seled boxes (houses we call them) means as no ventilation you get damp ocuring
just going to find a post
edited, as most people live in houses, not hoses as i first typed
there is a reg i cant quote it (not my thing) about vents in rooms with gas appliances.
no vents and seled boxes (houses we call them) means as no ventilation you get damp ocuring
just going to find a post
edited, as most people live in houses, not hoses as i first typed
beat you to it
(hadn't thought about the gas though)
Thanks for the replies.
There is no gas appliance in the room, it is just a normal bedroom.
I didn't mean the vents were to let the smoke out, but that in the old days with no central heating there would have been more moisture in the air as no central heating to drive the moisture out.
We spoke to a couple of our neighbours earlier, and both said they had blocked those vents up in their own houses donkeys years ago, with no ill effects whatsoever.
So we have blocked them up and no longer have arctic winds blowing down our stairs - result!
There is no gas appliance in the room, it is just a normal bedroom.
I didn't mean the vents were to let the smoke out, but that in the old days with no central heating there would have been more moisture in the air as no central heating to drive the moisture out.
We spoke to a couple of our neighbours earlier, and both said they had blocked those vents up in their own houses donkeys years ago, with no ill effects whatsoever.
So we have blocked them up and no longer have arctic winds blowing down our stairs - result!
Probably nothing untoward will happen at all. Especially if you have draughty sash windows and a fireplace in the room. Even in the most modern house i don't think anyone claims that anyone has used up all the oxygen and pegged out from suffocation. If you have a gas fire or appliance that burns from air inside the house they might be there to let air in, but if you have a modern condensing boiler that's not the case.
LizzyG said:
In the old days with no central heating there would have been LESS moisture in the air. Ventilation is needed just as much nowadays, if not more, to ensure that as the moist air moves from warm to cooler areas, the moisture will be removed without causing condensation. If you get mould growing on the walls it is because of condensation, and it is a SERIOUS health hazard. You don't have to block the vents completely.
i had 4 bedrooms vented and after I blocked the first one I won £22,000 pounds,after I blocked the second one I won a holiday in Barbados,after I blocked the third one I won a new car,after the fourth one my wife left me, I cant wait to block up the kitchen one
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