Is there any reason to have air vents above floor level ?

[Gary111]

Hi, I’ve got a ground floor flat conversion in a 1900 ish house.

There are 3 air vents above floor level about 2 feet up the wall. Those areas seem a bit cooler obviously and maybe causing condensation ?
(There was also a higher level one near the ceiling)

You can feel a bit of a draft even when the inner plastic vent cover is shut.

There is also an air vent in the chimney breast, chimney has been capped.

There is only electric heating and I’m thinking these vents could be a throwback from when it had some gas ?

Or could it be needed maybe to vent to wall cavity (if it has one!)
Thanks

 

[JohnD]

Ventilation does not cause condensation. Quite the reverse.

Give us some clues.

Were these vents in a kitchen, pantry, wash-house or bathroom? Bedroom? Living room?

Was there formerly a fireplace? Or a boiler or cooker?

Some photos would help.

 

[Gary111]

Hi thanks for your reply, I say that because I get black mould above my bathroom window which is open mostly.
Hence I think cold air from outside meets warm air inside and causes condensation?

It’s to the rear of the house so I can only guess it was at least partly kitchen.

 

[JohnD]

It might have been a pantry.

Old BRs used to require a ventilated food cupboard, and this was often done by airbricks through the wall to keep it cool.

You can ventilate your bathroom better if you shut the window and use an extractor fan.

Water vapour is lighter than air so it rises up in the bathroom towards the ceiling, and condenses on the external wall. A fan will suck it outside.

Cold air holds very little water vapour and will not cause condensation unless it touches an even colder surface. Warm steamy air in a bathroom holds a lot of water vapour and will cause condensation when it touches a colder surface.

Your condensation won't be coming from the cold outside air.

 

[Gary111]

Thanks for that, so there is possibly a reason they are there still ?
They are not all on one area so I’m not sure the pantry idea fits.

 

[JohnD]

Photos will help, inside and out. Stand back and pic the whole wall.

 

[Gary111]

Thanks I’ll do that

 

[Gary111]

Don’t know if it’s any help but these are the pics I already have, not too clear but the block to left of consumer unit is vent in lounge area.
Other one is different one to rear wall to right of heater.
I’ll get external pics too thanks

 

[JohnD]

The one under the window makes me feel it was to combat damp, or possibly if there was once a gas heater there.
I can't see the other one enough.

Is there a ventilated void under your floor, or is it concrete?

 

[Robster_1981]

If you have a gas fire they can also be there to aid complete combustion. I don’t know the exact reasons, just that they’re needed. The one in the chimney could be to encourage airflow in the chimney breast to prevent damp

 

[Gary111]

Thanks but there is only electric heating.
I realise the one in the chimney breast is needed, it’s the other 3 I am thinking of blocking up.