# Blocking air vents



## Howitzer (6 May 2010)

Don't often venture into the Home and Gardens areas so forgive the Noobie question.

Have a couple of rooms with gas fires in them. There are vents in the walls which allow a gale to blow through them. Upon inspection the only thing seperating the inside of the house from the outside in these vents is a plastic grill. Not ideal.

I remember seeing some sort of air vent on one of those property shows which allow the free flow of air to prevent Carbon Monoxide issues but effectively blocks the vent to drafts.

Does anyone know of this mystery device?


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## SN9 (5 Dec 2010)

Hi, I came across this post when looking for info on these "open" type vents.  We've just completed a major renovation on a house, and it's unfortunately turned into a very cold house.  I know that some of the problems lie with poor attic insulation, however most rooms have these open vents where there's just a plastic grill protecting against the elements.  Not ideal, especially with our current weather.  I'm amazed that these vents even meet building regs, as they seem to undo any good that insulation might provide.  Any ideas??


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## mercman (5 Dec 2010)

Personally I would prefer these than to be poisoned by Carbon Monoxide. Sure it makes the house cold / drafty but you might recall of the couple that died in an apartment over ten years ago, as the builder placed no vents in the property.


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## DGOBS (5 Dec 2010)

IMPORTANT, ventilation must always be maintained for open flued and flueless gas appliances.

You can always exchange your open flue gas fire for a room sealed type (pretty easy if the fire/chimney is on an outside wall) then you can install closeable vents

Otherwise the type of vent you are after is here:

[broken link removed]


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## SN9 (6 Dec 2010)

I surely won't die of carbon monoxide poisoning in a bathroom?  Or in a bedroom with just a radiator powered by a boiler in another building (detached garage)?

DGOBS, thanks for the suggestion - will look at this for 2 rooms, one with an open fire and one with a gas inset fire.  I'm going to assume that rooms with radiators only or with heated towel rails only (bathrooms) don't need vents!  (bathrooms all have extractor fans in addition to the gale-force-wind vents!)


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## PyritePete (6 Dec 2010)

we closed off our open/shut (or hit/miss) not sure the exact terminology and have blocked our chimney. But seeing as the houses these days are so poorly built there's still enough air coming in around the windows, patio doors that I am not too concerned.

There was a case where some nuns taped up vents and were found dead.

On another thread a poster has bought a Carbon monoxide alarm....


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## fluffy47 (6 Dec 2010)

I agree that blocking up the vents is dangerous business. Neighbours of ours recently got a contractor to place a wavin pipe type structure through from the room vent to the outside vent with insulation packed around it to prevent the cold air from travelling through the walls. Does anyone know anything about this practice and how effective it might be?


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## AlbacoreA (6 Dec 2010)

Ì don't understand these vents at all. Whats the point of having an insulated house if theres 6" hole on the wall and a gale blowing through? 

There has to be a solution thats deals with Carbon monoxide, but doesn't require caveman technology. A hole in the wall.


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## DGOBS (6 Dec 2010)

There is, its call a room sealed appliance


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## G.Headwound (7 Dec 2010)

*CO source?*

I'm curious as to the source of CO emissions. I gather from the thread that it's some kind of appliance(s).

How can it be legal to manufacture and sell an home appliance that produces carbon monoxide in potentially lethal quantities?

None of it makes sense... especially the hole-in-the-wall solution to CO build-up in the home (or radon, or anything else, for that matter).


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## AlbacoreA (7 Dec 2010)

A faulty boiler...


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## DGOBS (7 Dec 2010)

G.Headwound, what do you think a solid fuel fire generates when smoking....huge amounts of CO, anywhere you burn a hydrocarbon fuel you will get an amount of CO

The hole in the wall solution as you put it is a given, as with any open flued appliance
air also travels up the flue and must be replaced to the room, as oxygen is required for 
combustion (and breathing), and flueless appliances need it to dilute the atmosphere

It is also required in a house to remove any condensation and reduce mould growth, 
afterall the people that lay down these regulations are not sitting in a room making things up for a laugh, there is genuine reasons for it.

Cat killed


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## AlbacoreA (7 Dec 2010)

DGOBS said:


> There is, its call a room sealed appliance



Can you replace a regular wall hung boiler with one of those?


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## DGOBS (8 Dec 2010)

most modern wall hung boilers 'are' room sealed, not many open flued ones left!

what make and model is urs?


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## AlbacoreA (9 Dec 2010)

Vokera mynute 14se. House has vents in almost every room, but we don't have a gas fire. The boiler needs replacing, and I'll like to able to control the vents better, as many of them are not close able.


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## DGOBS (9 Dec 2010)

That IS a room sealed boiler that does not require ventilation


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## AlbacoreA (9 Dec 2010)

ah ...


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