cavity wall vents

[aldo100]

Hi,

I have an ex-council house with cavity wall insulation (the cavity walls were insulated with powdery stuff years after the house was built). As I'm about to do some decorating I would appreciate any advice on the following:

1. Is it wise to remove and plaster over the high level cavity wall vents within the bedrooms? I've had a look behind the vents and they line up with external vents, however there are no bridging ducts. There doesn't appear to be much insulation around the vents either (perhaps it has blown out).

or

2. Is it wise just to keep the vents in place to ventilate the bedrooms? I was concerned about insulation dust from further along the cavity getting into the rooms though. At the moment the vents are stuffed with old newspaper I was going to remove.

Aldo.

 

[tony1851]

Under ancient Building Regs, high-level vents were required in bedrooms which had no firplace flue, to ensure sufficient ventilation. If there is no casing through the cavity to the outer air brick, this one seems pretty pointless.
Unless you have a condensation problem, I'd just block it up and plaster over, though don't just use any old newspaper - use something of better quality such as The Times.

 

[^woody^]

Unless you have a condensation problem, I'd just block it up and plaster over

Or should that be unless you want a condensation problem?

 

[tony1851]

Unless you have a condensation problem, I'd just block it up and plaster over

Or should that be unless you want a condensation problem?

Yes, you're perfectly right - should have been the other way round!- you've spotted today's deliberate mistake.

 

[noseall]

How will a vent that is not sleeved and is venting into a cavity full of insulation be of any use?

 

[aldo100]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Aldo.