Removing Air Vent

[youngy89]

Hi all,

I’m just about to move on to my next job: preparing the walls ready for a lime parge coat, which I’ll then use to fix wood fibre boards to the internal face of an external wall.

Before I crack on, I’m debating what to do with an existing double-brick air vent that’s currently at head height. It lets a lot of air through, and given the room is only around 2.5 m × 2.5 m and will be used as a home office (no fireplace or solid fuel appliances), I’m wondering whether it’s actually needed.

We’re also replacing the windows, which have all failed, and the new ones will include trickle vents.

Given the small size of the room, the low moisture use (office rather than kitchen/bathroom), and the addition of trickle vents, do you think I could reasonably fill in the vent? If I did, it would be done properly — bricks laid in lime mortar, and the breathable wall insulation continued across the internal face.

Interested to hear people’s thoughts.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[Cubist]

Why not just block the vents face indoors and monitor for possible impacts for a year or so. Could save you a lot of needless hassle if you have to re-commission it.

BTW - If you find that people coming in to see you take a deep breath after opening the door then you should perhaps remove the vents cover or get a better deodorant?

 

[a twig]

You could put a hit and miss vent over it and then if you find out you do need it after all you haven’t caused yourself issues - there are some very smart and period looking cast iron and brass options around

 

[a twig]

Then if it’s turns out you are just leaving it closed all the time you can unscrew it, stuff the hole with rockwool or similar and then screw it back on