Air Bricks problem

skintandscared_2

Hi,

I have previously posted this problem but incorrectly blamed the removal of render from the bricks. Now I know what we are actually dealing with, I'm re-posting for any advice anyone can give please!

We have just moved into a lovely old renovated house. Part of the renovation works involved sorting out the damp-proof course as there were damp problems in the house. A 1ft square "moat" has been dug all around the house, to take the level below the existing damp-proofing course, and some ventilation bricks have been inserted.

The problem we now have is that the ventilation bricks are allowing a huge amount of cold air into the house. Downstairs, you can literally feel about 2ft of cold air from the floor. As you go upstairs, you immediately notice it getting warmer.

We can't go through the whole winter with this much cold air flooding into the house through these bricks (especially in the kitchen - when you open the cupboards you feel the cold breeze wafting into the room!) I am also worried about the "moat" filling up with snow, and the moisture from that snow coming through the brick vents.

Is there anything we can do?!

Jaynne

Can't help you much with the bricks I'm afraid - though I think you can get humidity controlled flaps to these.

If your "moat" is anything like ours (which was put there because when the previous people paved the drive they didn't lower the ground level before) I wouldn't worry about it. Snow isn't very dense - there's a chance of a small bit of moisture but I doubt its anything to worry about.

moneyistooshorttomention

Maybe one thought is something similar to what I did in my old house.

There were 2 airbricks set into the kitchen wall - creating a lot of cold air in an already cold room. I had one of them plastered up actually (ie one just a foot or so above the other one up the wall) and the second one has had a metal sliding "door" put on it (ie a strip of metal put on outside of wall, with knob on to act as handle). In hot weather I slide it back for extra ventilation and in cold weather I slide it to to help not let great swathes of cold air into the kitchen.

I suspect something similar and buying a condenser type dehumidifier (mine was about £120) would possibly be the best way to deal with this. That way - you have enough ventilation without hopefully having vast amounts of cold air and you can have a little "dry out" with the dehumidifier as and when required to keep the house dry.

My house had a bit of a damp problem on a couple of walls basically down to condensation - rather than damp per se iyswim. I could have solved this sooner by getting a dehumidifier - if I hadnt been (and still am!) very puzzled as to why "Ideal Home" type magazines never ever show a dehumidifier anywhere in any of the photos and I've never ever seen one in the home of anyone I have visited in all these years. This meant that I've been in (and am still puzzled about) why no-one/but no-one ever has a dehumidifier that I know of but my house apparently needs one - except I'm guessing that my daily shower/drying clothes on a dryer in the bathroom and doing a lot of cooking in an electric steamer may be the reason as to why I need this (even though other peoples' houses dont seem to - or don't I ever go in those other houses that do?:cool:)

fluffymuffy

skintandscared wrote: »

Hi,


Is there anything we can do?!

Yes. Get some foil-backed radiator insulation - the type you stuff behind a radiator. (You might have some left over from when you put it behind your radiators. If you've not done that yet then now's a good time). And cut appropriate sized pieces and stick on both inside and outside walls over your air bricks using duck tape.

Should you find a dreadful humidity problem then buy a dehumidifier.

tony6403

You could for very little outlay try a hit and miss vent cover.

moneyistooshorttomention

so that's what its called - ie "a hit and miss vent cover". That's what I've got covering that unwanted airbrick.

fluffymuffy

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I suspect something similar and buying a condenser type dehumidifier (mine was about £120) would possibly be the best way to deal with this. That way - you have enough ventilation without hopefully having vast amounts of cold air and you can have a little "dry out" with the dehumidifier as and when required to keep the house dry.

It costs us about 50p a day in electric to run the dehumidifier. I switched it off for a week to save money. Then I really knew it was worth paying 50p for a warm dry house. I figure we save loads on not having a tumble drier (don't need one as the washing dries in a few hours) and the heating doesn't have to be on as long or high to keep the house warm.

nickj_2

you could see if an anti draught air vent would be suitable http://www.timloc.co.uk/Products/Underfloor_&_through_wall_ventilation/Wall_anti-draught_ventilators/product.aspx?id=54

cyclonebri1

Lets get this clear, are you talking about airbricks on the outside, above or below the damp course or floor level, or are you talking actual vents into the room????

skintandscared_2

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for the delay in responding.

I need to check the level of the ventilation bricks when I get home. I BELIEVE they are below floorboard level, but I'm not sure. There is nothing covering them either on the inside or outside.

I need to check whether the front of the bricks will actually be covered when the "moat" around the house is eventually filled up with medium sized stones and some gravel. The stones can't be put in until the walls have been rendered, and that rendering can't apparently be done until the weather dries up a bit.

I presume that if there are stones in front of the bricks there will still be adequate air-flow for ventilation, but it will stop the wind actually flooding into the house.

Oh, and in the kitchen, the units have been put in with about a 2" gap between the back of the cupboard and the wall. And the cupboard back stops about 6" from the top of the cupboard (i.e. we can see old original kitchen wallpaper on the wall behind the cupboard). That area is a TOTAL wind tunnel at the moment! Sometimes it's strong enough to rattle the cupboard doors.

skintandscared_2

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Lets get this clear, are you talking about airbricks on the outside, above or below the damp course or floor level, or are you talking actual vents into the room????

They are airbricks, not vents. I think they are above the damp course but either below, or at the same level, as the floorboards. I will check when I get home.

Is it possible that the newly inserted airbricks could go right through to the inside of the house? The house is about 120 years old...