Vent in chimney breast

[Alison556]

My mum used to have a gas fire but it was removed and a vent put on the chimney breast where the hole was for the flue.

Does this vent need to be there or can it be blocked up? She's got a new wall mounted electric fire and the vent is kinda in the way

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

In a word yes, though it need not be very big.
Frank

 

[ree]

The present vent opening can be blocked off and the vent moved to another position - if you post pics of what you have at the moment you can be advised.

Alternatively, if the chimney breast backs on to an external wall then the vent can be positioned externally into the back wall of the flue.

Did the gas fire have a metal flue liner?

 

[^woody^]

Does this vent need to be there or can it be blocked up?

In a word yes

 

[^woody^]

The flue needs to be vented from bottom to top. Otherwise you risk condensation in the flue and salts leeching through the plaster and staining the wall.

 

[Alison556]

The present vent opening can be blocked off and the vent moved to another position - if you post pics of what you have at the moment you can be advised.

Alternatively, if the chimney breast backs on to an external wall then the vent can be positioned externally into the back wall of the flue.

Did the gas fire have a metal flue liner?

I dont' believe it had a flue liner - my mum just lives a few doors away from me - and we had to get rid of our gas fire as the chimney was breached apparently.

Chimney backs on to next door's chimney breast.

 

[ree]

If you suspect that your Mum's "chimney has been breached" then it might be worthwhile getting in a HETAS with a camera. Any breaching from a neighbour's flue(s) could allow the neighbour's unwelcome fumes into your flue(s).

FWIW: if you read back thro some of my posts on flues, and their problems, it might give you a better idea of what you have or might need to do?

 

[Blagard]

Reading between the lines it sounds like "Mums" gas fire was the source of a problem with a neighbour. The electric fire is likely cheaper than putting a flue liner in for the gas fire, especially if the gas fire was also an issue itself.

A vent is important on flues that in particular have outside walls due to the risk of condensation. On party walls where both house are occupied I have seen quite a few that have no vent (having been bricked up long ago) and no sign of condensation issues. The bottom line is I don't believe there is any regulation requiring a vent, so if the flue is not on an outside wall it is up to you if you want to risk it or not.

 

[Alison556]

It's a bit of a dilemma. It's a council house so not sure if they'd throw a hissy fit if we blocked the vent up - they've got a thing about vents - they're everywhere - I've never seen so many vents in and around a house.

If I could find a much flatter vent than what's on, I guess the fire could be mounted over the top of it - so the vent would still be there but covered over (although not sealed)???