Air Vents

BanjoSpanner

My house is notoriously cold, almost impossible to heat it and it's only an average 4-bed semi. The heating could be going full blast and the house is freezing again 10 minutes after switching it off. The recent cold snap has made me declare war on the cold.

My house was built around 2000 and every room has an air vent in it, like in the attached picture. To my mind this is basically a hole in the wall to the outside, letting cold air in. The vent thing itself has no way of closing it - just a permanent hole in the wall. I cannot remember seeing these in any other house I've ever visited and I'm thinking of blocking them up. I realise they must have been put there for a reason, i.e. ventilation, but you may as well have the window wide open with the cold air that is free to enter the house especially in winter.

What do you think? Will blocking them up have any detrimental side effects?

_Brian

I really think these things are from the dark ages.
I'm not sure about closing them completly as damp and mould can be a problem for some.
But there are other options.

I've seen them reduced in diameter which allows some ventilation but not the wide gaping hole, I saw one with a 2" pipe put in and expanding foam used to close it down.

A friend cut squares of medium heavy
Material and fixed them on the inside of the room grates as a sort of baffle, allows some air in but resists blasts of air.

I would try other options before closing them because of the risks of mould which has health implications.

muffler

Dont block the vents for the reasons as outlined above. Replace the fly screen type covers with adjustable ones like this and you should see a noticeable improvement.

Your next step should be looking at increasing your insulation levels and eliminating other air leakages.

Calahonda52

tell us a bit more about the house:
type of floors
wall construction/insulation
windows and doors: type and quality
insulation in attic
holes in hot press for pipework
other uncontrolled ventilation: waste pipes from sinks...etc

Take off that wall vent and take a pic or two of what it looks like inside

BanjoSpanner

BanjoSpanner wrote: »

........ I cannot remember seeing these in any other house I've ever visited and I'm thinking of blocking them up...............

I'd say they are not your problem.

I live in a 1st floor apartment, fair enough there's a heated (presumably) apartment below me but we are end of terrace so my living room, kitchen & master bedroom are at the gable end so to speak.

I have the same vents and with no heating on during night, a 4 tog duvet and the window open a crack I'm not cold....... not even tempted to put on a heavier duvet.

I'd say insulation is your issue but a y2k built house should be fine in that regard.

Calahonda52 wrote: »

..........

Take off that wall vent and take a pic or two of what it looks like inside

In my case a great big cobweb full hole.

Calahonda52

Augeo wrote: »

In my case a great big cobweb full hole.

My question to the Op was a serious question, which I trust he will not dismiss based on such frivolity.

Augeo wrote: »

I'd say insulation is your issue but a y2k built house should be fine in that regard.

I don't agree, having specified remediation works on over a 1,000 such houses.

Calahonda52

Calahonda52 wrote: »

My question to the Op was a serious question, which I trust he will not dismiss based on such friviolity.

I made no frivolous comment old boy.

Calahonda52 wrote: »

............



I don't agree, having specified remediation works on over a 1,000 such houses.

Well you must agree in part so as I said "I'd say insulation is your issue......"