quick question about these air vents (pics inside)

[skuba]

hi

i've recently moved in to a new house and there's an air vent above the kitchen cupboards which the previous owners have attempted to block off with a bit of tape and a plastic cover. i assume the reason was to stop the breeze coming in to the kitchen. i was going to replace it with an adjustable louvre air-vent so we could have it open in the summer and closed in the winter, but i'm a little concerned that air-vents are usually there for a reason and it might be wise to unblock it. bearing in mind there is also a kitchen extractor vent at the right hand side, do you think the blocked air-vent is necessary? we do have a gas boiler (not combi) which is about 15 years old but it's located in a different room across the entrance hall. apologies for the grime in the pictures, we've yet to give the top of the cupboards a scrub! thanks for any advice you can offer...

Untitled

• skuba
• 3 Jan 2013
• 1

Untitled

• skuba
• 3 Jan 2013
• 1

 

[petit_pablo]

Crystal ball not working tonight.

What appliances are there in the kitchen?

More detail required on boiler.

It could be there for a reason, it might not!

 

[petertheplumber12]

If the air vent has got a fly screen then it is not a vent for a gas appliance, it was there a long time before for a larder or something else.

 

[skuba]

If the air vent has got a fly screen then it is not a vent for a gas appliance, it was there a long time before for a larder or something else.

thanks peter. sorry to sound dumb, but i'm not exactly sure what a flyscreen is. behind the plastic cover they've taped on is a white plastic air-vent with a simple grill (non adjustable)

does that answer your question?

 

[petit_pablo]

If the air vent has got a fly screen then it is not a vent for a gas appliance, it was there a long time before for a larder or something else.

How do you know that?

Just because it has a fly guaze doesnt mean it isnt serving a gas appliance or solid fuel. Home owners often fit these types of vents with little regard for regs

 

[gaswizzard]

Seem MANY gas vents incorporating fly screens (naughty naughty).

 

[tommyl18]

why cant u have a gas vent with a fly screen?

 

[scatmanjohn]

why cant u have a gas vent with a fly screen?

Its because they can easily become blocked with dust/fluff/flys/spiders webs etc.

 

[tommyl18]

arr makes sense

 

[FiremanT]

[quote="scatmanjohn";p="2692584"]

why cant u have a gas vent with a fly screen?

Its because they can easily become blocked with dust/fluff/flys/spiders webs etc.[/quote]

Any opening must be between 5 & 10mm.

A flyscreen is unikely to allow enough "free air", in any case

 

[John506]

If the air vent has got a fly screen then it is not a vent for a gas appliance, it was there a long time before for a larder or something else.

Does that mean if you see a vent with closeable louvres, does this automatically mean it's not for a gas appliance?

What about air vents without ducting through the cavity, they mustn't be for gas appliances either?

What if it customer has wallpapered over their vent, must mean it wasn't serving a gas appliance, as we know, customer is always right!