Sealing Wall Air Vents in 1950’s House?

Bellboy55 on 10/07/2022 - 18:50

So obviously, we are in the midst of winter at the moment, and my parent’s house is old enough that it has two passive air vents installed in every room of the house.

The problem is that they let in the freezing cold air at night, as well as a lot of dust. I was thinking of sealing them up, as from what I can tell, they are a remnant of yesteryear architecture and were really only required for rooms with unflued gas heaters.

My parents still use the gas heater in the lounge, so obviously I can’t seal the vents there, but do you guys think it’ll be okay if I seal them in my bedroom? I keep the door and windows shut at night when I sleep, but I am in a completely seperate room of the house and also have a ducted air-conditioning vent installed in the ceiling.

Picture of Wall Air Vent: https://imgur.com/lSV5xsE

Home & Garden

Comments

  • MS Paint on 10/07/2022 - 18:56
    +6

    Seal them up and let the moisture/mold begin. Enjoy.

    • Bellboy55 on 10/07/2022 - 19:14

      I’m guessing then that the ducted air conditioning vent won’t provide enough ventilation?

      • John Kimble on 10/07/2022 - 19:28

        Shouldn't it? Can't you set it to dry mode?

      • MS Paint on 10/07/2022 - 19:32
        +6

        Quite often, in the older homes, the vent provided ventilation to the cavity between the external and internal walls.

  • Hybroid on 10/07/2022 - 19:02

    You can seal them up but bear in mind might want to open them back up in peak Summer.

    Run a vacuum cleaner over it before you do and grabbing a Damprid Moisture Absorber cup might be a good idea.

    • Bellboy55 on 10/07/2022 - 19:13

      Good to know, thanks for the advice. I didn’t even realise there were such things as a Moisture Absorber cup!

      Just out of curiosity, why open them back up again in peak Summer?

      • Hybroid on 10/07/2022 - 19:35
        +1

        Because you'll likely want the airflow when it's stifling hot still air in your room. Unless you have a Vornado fan unit to circulate breeze or something.

  • Mokr on 10/07/2022 - 19:18
    +1

    Seal them it's fine. Just open a window in summer

  • tsukito on 10/07/2022 - 20:04
    +1

    I have removed a bunch of these wall vents in my house (replastered during renovations), with no ill effect.

    As you said, they are an outdated building element to allow airflow for fireplaces and heaters. Nowadays, unless you're living like Charles Dickens, it's now basically a hole in the wall where warm air leaks out in the winter and costs you more in heating.

  • JimmyF on 10/07/2022 - 20:16
    +2

    I was thinking of sealing them up, as from what I can tell, they are a remnant of yesteryear architecture and were really only required for rooms with unflued gas heaters.

    You are correct indeed. No longer needed if you don't have unflued heaters etc.

    You can cover these by washing the area with sugar soap and once dry, applying clear contact over them. Works well for a 'quick' removal fix.

  • Ocker on 10/07/2022 - 20:18

    Our house was built in 1928 and had the same ventilation outlets in place (maybe a building code requirement at the time?)
    Anyway, we decided to (a) remove the plaster fascia adornment , nail some 3 ply sheeting over the opening and (b) replace the fascia adornment.
    Absolutely no negative noticeable impact.

  • iamherenow on 10/07/2022 - 20:30

    also have a ducted air-conditioning vent installed in the ceiling

    You might find if you close it off that the ac will form more pressure in your room if there is nowhere for the air to escape. My doors make a loud noise from the air going though small gaps around the door.

  • [Deactivated] on 10/07/2022 - 21:08
    +2

    I used to live in a home with the old wall vents, and I covered them up with these:

    https://www.bunnings.com.au/eco-results-white-wall-vent-seal…

  • JIMB0 on 10/07/2022 - 22:05
    +2

    These vents used to be a requirement of the building code to allow combustion air in for fireplaces and later gas heaters.

    Any house that has them would now be at an age where the materials of the building have shifted/warped and as such will have numerous other areas where outside air is free to enter. That's if it was built tight in the first place (most weren't).

    Also renovations/additions such as aircon/central heating ductwork and kitchen/bathroom replacements usually add additional places unwanted air can get in.

  • Hardlyworkin on 10/07/2022 - 22:33

    Are these the same vents as found in double brick homes?

    • Matt P on 11/07/2022 - 00:34

      I have a a 1960 build double brick. Only in one room where the open fireplace was/is.

  • outlander on 11/07/2022 - 08:51

    I have the same. It's annoying

    I was thinking of building a mechanism to cover them (think picture frame with sliding door to cover it), so they can be opened and closed at will. They exist already commercially, but they're very hard to find

    • netjock on 11/07/2022 - 11:22

      Why don't you make one with a hinge and you put in a piece of plastic and close it to seal and then remove the plastic and close back for normal operation.

  • brad1-8tsi on 11/07/2022 - 15:25

    My partners 1920s terrace has similar vents. She had an underfloor vent system put in 8 years ago to dry the place out. The installers covered all the inner wall vents with a perspex cover that was glued on with clear silastic. The outer vent still functions and allows the positive airflow from the underfloor to exit up through the guts of the wall which assist in controlling the damp.

    I thought it was going to be a disaster, having owned 2x damp terraces myself (that I fixed with passive ventilation and removal of underfloor dirt) but it works without any of the issues mentioned above.

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