Hi all, my first post here.
I'm doing a reno on my 1942 home unit. It has an over anbundance of wall vents,having 8 just in the living room. To my mind, thats 8 too many !
They get dirty, allow noise in from the street and are a gateway to my home for Huntsman spiders. The last one got stuck in one of the cubes of the grill, being too fat to get thru. I helped it out by useing two cotton buds.
So to my question. Whats the best way to cover these vents prior to painting ? They are recessed maybe 1 to 2 mm from the surface of the wall. I'm thinking afixing a plate of some material or cement rendering.
Covering ventilation grilles
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Welcome to the forum....sounds like an interesting project...we love photos...hint...hint...
As far as the vents go there are some regular builders on the site who can provide more definitive advice, but I think you need the vents to prevent damp as it creates ventilation from the top of the wall down to the bottom of the cavity between the inner and outer wall (there should be corresponding venting points outside at ground level or near enough to).
Being 1940's is it full brick?
I'd be concerned about blocking them up and potentially creating a future problem.
There may be ways of filtering noise and Huntsmans without losing the functionality of the vent.
As far as the vents go there are some regular builders on the site who can provide more definitive advice, but I think you need the vents to prevent damp as it creates ventilation from the top of the wall down to the bottom of the cavity between the inner and outer wall (there should be corresponding venting points outside at ground level or near enough to).
Being 1940's is it full brick?
I'd be concerned about blocking them up and potentially creating a future problem.
There may be ways of filtering noise and Huntsmans without losing the functionality of the vent.
Thanks for your reply, to_ do_ list !
Some background..... built in 1942 . If I could put my hands on the newspaper I found (along with matchboxes and empty ciggie packets left by the tradesman, during construction) when I pulled out the pantry, define the construction to the month. I recall the front page was all about the bombing of Port Morseby, by the Japanese. To further digress from the topic, some of the old local Diggers who I have shared a beer with
at the local RSL club, have suggested that "all the good tradesmen were off fighting a war, son", when my Block was constructed. And it's not hard to believe that, seeing the construction of the Unit.
Yes, it is double brick.
I understand your concerns regarding raising damp. However, as the vents
in question are located on a wall which faces due West and during the Summer months are still warm enough to fry a egg, after dark, I would discount concerns of raising damp.
My understanding for the vents, stems from the need for ventilation for smoke or gas from the the fireplace, which is now bricked up.
Some background..... built in 1942 . If I could put my hands on the newspaper I found (along with matchboxes and empty ciggie packets left by the tradesman, during construction) when I pulled out the pantry, define the construction to the month. I recall the front page was all about the bombing of Port Morseby, by the Japanese. To further digress from the topic, some of the old local Diggers who I have shared a beer with
at the local RSL club, have suggested that "all the good tradesmen were off fighting a war, son", when my Block was constructed. And it's not hard to believe that, seeing the construction of the Unit.
Yes, it is double brick.
I understand your concerns regarding raising damp. However, as the vents
in question are located on a wall which faces due West and during the Summer months are still warm enough to fry a egg, after dark, I would discount concerns of raising damp.
My understanding for the vents, stems from the need for ventilation for smoke or gas from the the fireplace, which is now bricked up.
Salinesurfer (Great name by the way)
That's my understanding too.
Gas lighting needed vents to let the gas fumes out.
My 50's place had vents on both sides of the wall.
Steve
That's my understanding too.
Gas lighting needed vents to let the gas fumes out.
My 50's place had vents on both sides of the wall.
Steve
Once again I learnt something, didn't know that this was the main reason for the large vents....thanks SS and YC
renovating your home and the blocking up of the vents shouldn't be a problem, as long as the lighting you use utilises the current technology. Older light fittings used to emit gasses, and this had to escape somehow.
But these days with energy efficient homes, these wall vents are a big NO NO!
I'd be contacting the building commission, and let them advise you on whats correct procedure, and what's not. Afterall, it's because of them, that the vents were put there in the first place.
But these days with energy efficient homes, these wall vents are a big NO NO!
I'd be contacting the building commission, and let them advise you on whats correct procedure, and what's not. Afterall, it's because of them, that the vents were put there in the first place.
This might help with some more info.
http://isyourhousekillingyou.sbs.com.au/problems/noxandco2.html
http://isyourhousekillingyou.sbs.com.au/problems/noxandco2.html
Again, this issue has a lot to do with indoor air quality!
My understanding is that older houses generally were much more open, with vents and such. Over the last few decades, housing designers started to become much more conscious of energy efficiency, and so made houses much tighter, with very little natural airflow. Ceilings became lower, windows & doors better sealed etc.
This has been identified as a major contribution to the many health issues to do with indoor air quality. What makes it really toxic is when homes are so airtight, and are filled with all sorts of chemicals, VOCs, and such. One lecturer I know (an environmental toxicologist) says he would never live in the typical modern house! He says his old Fremantle house with sunlight coming through the floorboards is just great!
Sure energy efficiency is important, but we should balance this with our basic need for fresh clean air, to be healthy!
Ash.
My understanding is that older houses generally were much more open, with vents and such. Over the last few decades, housing designers started to become much more conscious of energy efficiency, and so made houses much tighter, with very little natural airflow. Ceilings became lower, windows & doors better sealed etc.
This has been identified as a major contribution to the many health issues to do with indoor air quality. What makes it really toxic is when homes are so airtight, and are filled with all sorts of chemicals, VOCs, and such. One lecturer I know (an environmental toxicologist) says he would never live in the typical modern house! He says his old Fremantle house with sunlight coming through the floorboards is just great!
Sure energy efficiency is important, but we should balance this with our basic need for fresh clean air, to be healthy!
Ash.
Quote:
Again, this issue has a lot to do with indoor air quality!
My understanding is that older houses generally were much more open, with vents and such. Over the last few decades, housing designers started to become much more conscious of energy efficiency, and so made houses much tighter, with very little natural airflow. Ceilings became lower, windows & doors better sealed etc.
This has been identified as a major contribution to the many health issues to do with indoor air quality. What makes it really toxic is when homes are so airtight, and are filled with all sorts of chemicals, VOCs, and such. One lecturer I know (an environmental toxicologist) says he would never live in the typical modern house! He says his old Fremantle house with sunlight coming through the floorboards is just great!
Sure energy efficiency is important, but we should balance this with our basic need for fresh clean air, to be healthy!
Ash.
My understanding is that older houses generally were much more open, with vents and such. Over the last few decades, housing designers started to become much more conscious of energy efficiency, and so made houses much tighter, with very little natural airflow. Ceilings became lower, windows & doors better sealed etc.
This has been identified as a major contribution to the many health issues to do with indoor air quality. What makes it really toxic is when homes are so airtight, and are filled with all sorts of chemicals, VOCs, and such. One lecturer I know (an environmental toxicologist) says he would never live in the typical modern house! He says his old Fremantle house with sunlight coming through the floorboards is just great!
Sure energy efficiency is important, but we should balance this with our basic need for fresh clean air, to be healthy!
Ash.
So true Ash.
When I lived in a brand new Swedish house in the 80's - which was totally air tight - massive insulation etc - it had a ceiling fan that exhausted a % of air per hour to keep the air quality up where it needed to be.
I visited the house in mid winter 2 years later - and it seemed like the same house I was in 2 years earlier - all be it a tad more snow outside than there wasn't in August.
Steve
Block the vents & open a window.
So Pete, are just there to provide gas heating ventilation?
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