Do i have an air vent?

sonnythecat

Sorry, possibly about to sound dumb:


We are investigating multifuel stoves atm.

I understand that a 5kw plus stove would need an air vent.

On the outside of the relevant room, there are two perforated bricks, near to the ground. But inside there is no evidence of them.

Currently in the fireplace is a (disconnected) old gas fire.

So are these perforated bricks air vents?

I feel like a twit for asking.....

Thanks

tlh858

Those bricks are vents - but NOT for the room, they will ventilate the underfloor space or wall cavity.

Therefore you will need a suitably sized vent installing - this should be done by whoever installs the stove (which is NOT a DIY job).

sonnythecat

Thank you for taking the time away from the olympics to reply, much appreciated.

In this house, we have learned to be verrrrry realistic about our diy skills!!

societys_child

tlh858 wrote: »

Those bricks are vents - but NOT for the room, they will ventilate the underfloor space or wall cavity.

Therefore you will need a suitably sized vent installing - this should be done by whoever installs the stove (which is NOT a DIY job).

What isn't, installing the stove or installing the air vents?

tlh858

societys_child wrote: »

What isn't, installing the stove or installing the air vents?

Probably both, since installing a stove is not DIY, and although installing a vent could be, the vent will need to be sized based on the stove fitted, so no use fitting one only to find out it's the wrong size or type.

peterpan567

hm I think we have no went, having this 3.1kw fire

Moneysava_wannaB

tlh858 wrote: »

this should be done by whoever installs the stove (which is NOT a DIY job).

Both can be done DIY no problem

societys_child

Moneysava_wannaB wrote: »

Both can be done DIY no problem

That's what I thought

gas4you

Don't know about regs for stoves, but gas fires up to 7kw input do not need any air vents.

alleycat`

Stoves under 5kw do not need an airbrick / vent if the house is of a certain age / construction.

Modern houses that are full of cavity wall insulation, etc and don't breath that well require an airbrick installation even for a 5KW stove.

The size of airbrick required for a 5kw stove is actually very small so you'd struggle to find an airbrick small enough to "under do it".

I'd consider that to be DIY.

Stoves can be be installed DIY but the cost of getting it signed off by building control v's having a hetas qualified engineer to do it (and sign it off) is almost the same.

Many people don't bother getting the install "signed off" but i imagine it isn't good for your house insurance if you get a chimney fire.

grahamc2003

You'd need some pretty powerful equipment to fi an air vent the same as the one my cavity wall installers fitted. they drille a hole about 3.5inches diameter through two layers of brick - I doubt my diy drill could do that, even if I had a drill bit suitable (which I expect would cost a bomb in itself).

Otoh, my stove quote came with a floor vent, where they cut a bit out the carpet, drill some holes through the floorboards, and then fit a vent type thing to make it look ok. (Not sure whether that would meet the regs though?). I quite liked that idea if you have to have a vent, because it can be made close to the stove where the air is needed.

I'm quite pleased with my vent which was made in the kitchen. It doesn't seem to have cooled it much last winter when I expected it would. I suppose it works by simply letting the water molecules in the air migrate to the outsIde (by partial pressures and all that), without the need for air mass movement (i.e. draughts) which the vent design seems to minimise.

Edit - A vent for a stove of course would allow air in due to the sucking (pressure lowering) of the stove.