Half brick sized hole in loft wall - redundant? Foam or brick fill?

[Refinedgent]

hi all,

quick advice required,
very old house, 300+ years old, in the loft there is a big old hole in the wall at either end of loft wall, so two holes, they have been there forever, 100 years plus,
I guess for ventilation, it’s half a brick in size and two bricks deep.
its freezing in the loft and there is a birds nest the size of a Mini Cooper up there… seriously looks like a damn buzzard has made a nest over the last 50 years or so.
planning on blocking it up as that much ventilation seems frankly daft in addition the surrounding insulation seems pretty hilarious… I just moved into this house so I’m not responsible for this bizarre situation!

do I need to get half a brick and cement up? Or can I simply use some expanding foam (fyi access is only from the inside) exterior not possible as it’s 3 stories up and my ladder isn’t that tall….

wall is at least two bricks deep, so could just foam one bricks deep, not worried about water ingress as it’s been that way for 100+ years and there’s no sign of water issues

or do I get a half brick and try to poke some cement around the brick, though it’ll be a pest as not much of a gap around brick, doesn’t need to be pretty as you can’t see it as it’s so high up

so do I just use a bit of foam, or do I need a brick?

thanks alll!

 

[conny]

If the opposite side is the same I would put a half brick in each end with some mortar and cement. (Or sand and cement if you wish).
You can buy a small bag of dry, pre-mixed that you just add water to.

 

[JohnD]

I guess for ventilation, it’s half a brick in size and two bricks deep.
its freezing in the loft

Lofts are supposed to be cold, dry and well ventilated.

Why do you want it to be damp?

 

[Mr Chibs]

I'd put some mesh on it to stop birds... the ventilation will be good for an old house... I'd be tempted to knock out half a brick at the other gable end too and repeat, as JohnD says, why would you want it damp?

 

[StephenStephen]

My diy understanding is that the loft is supposed to be cold - it's what's known in the technical jargon as a 'cold loft'

 

[SFK]

Should be left open as you want to have moving air though loft.

Mesh is a good idea, or You could cut one of these in half with a hack saw and slot it in each of the holes to stop birds.

Air Brick Terracotta 76mm x 229mm

Order online at Screwfix.com. Interlocking air brick. Clip together to make 229 x 152mm (9 x 6

www.screwfix.com

 

[Refinedgent]

Ahh ok, so I’m hearing I should leave it open, (with mesh) there’s some water tanks up there and was concerned about pipes freezing etc, also just struck me odd to have a hole in the wall and it be pretty bad for heat insulation etc (bedrooms below are pretty cold).

maybe chopping one of these plastic bricks in half may be best of both worlds, some air flow and no birds

 

[Refinedgent]

Lofts are supposed to be cold, dry and well ventilated.

Why do you want it to be damp?

If I blocked it up, would it get damp up there?

 

[JohnD]

If I blocked it up, would it get damp up there?

Yes.

 

[foxhole]

Ahh ok, so I’m hearing I should leave it open, (with mesh) there’s some water tanks up there and was concerned about pipes freezing etc, also just struck me odd to have a hole in the wall and it be pretty bad for heat insulation etc (bedrooms below are pretty cold).

maybe chopping one of these plastic bricks in half may be best of both worlds, some air flow and no birds

Loft insulation keeps rooms warm , matters not what’s above it, if the rooms are cold add more insulation/ heating .

 

[JohnD]

And lag the pipes and tank. Preferably with the thicker "bylaws grade"
You can cut and mitre it with a serrated breadknife. Tape all joints and bends which may open up.

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Not the felt stuff. you can also flop loft insulation over any pipes lying on the ceiling below.