Loose brick inside wall vent?

[lateintheday]

Been doing some general dusting and cleaning today.

In the room where my boiler is, there's a plastic screw on vent on the wall, noticed a load of dirty old dust stuck on the plastic. Unscrewed the vent to clean and found this loose circular brick that I can't remove because there's a ledge to the back of it that's too big for the hole. Oh and also, there's a hole drilled through the centre of the loose brick.


Brick meant to be there?


Pics... ( and thanks all )...







*Knife is just there for scale BTW*

 

[JohnD]

some lazy and incompetent cowboy started to drill a ventilation hole through the wall. S/he lost interest before finishing, or was late for tea, and hid the uncompleted work behind a grill.

The is some chance that if you pull the plug towards you, it will come out of the wall. It will be interesting to see what is behind it.

Please show us what gas appliances, stoves or fireplaces are in the room.

 

[lateintheday]

Thanks for the reply. I knew it didn't look right!

The only thing in this room is the boiler itself.

It's more of a walk in cupboard at the top of my stairs.
Measures about 1.5metre by 2metre.

I keep my shoes in there, a few coats, a ladder, tools, etc.
Oh and there's no door on the cupboard.

 

[Burnerman]

It would be useful to know what the ventilation requirements are for your particular boiler......right enough, someone's got halfway through with a core drill.
Is that an outside wall?
John

 

[lateintheday]

It is an outside wall yeah.

The boiler is only 2 years old.
I bought this place last year.

Had the boiler serviced last year too.
So I'd hope it passed all ventilation tests

 

[Burnerman]

It sounds like someone set out to provide a vent, and then found it wasn't needed.....it could be from the previous boiler fitting, I guess.
Some people find fixing a grille is easier than plastering up the hole!
John

 

[lateintheday]

This one's a combi boiler, and I'm certain once upon a time, a massive water tank lived below where this vent is. I suppose I could just look outside and see if the hole even leads out there? There does feel like a slight draught from the hole but nothing major.

 

[Burnerman]

The slight draught will be natural air exchange courtesy of the cavity wall.....why the hole was originally drilled is anyone's guess but I'm sure it's nothing to do with your current installation. Your RGI would have picked up any issues during the services / inspections.
John