1930s fireplace grated air vent

sittopbomb

Hi all,

First time poster on these forums, so please be nice! I've done a comprehensive Google on this and can't quite find the answer I'm looking for so hopefully one (or some!) of you can help.

My partner and I have just purchased a 1930's semi detached house, and in the back bedroom is a tiled surround on the chimney wall but instead of having an open fire it just has a grated cover inserted in the middle. Does anyone know what exactly is going on here? Did it ever house a fire, or is this just an air vent? I have a pic but as a new user I can't post it

I'm keen to keep and/or restore as many original features as possible, but honestly am not too keen on this so may get rid if it can't be transformed into a fire or something less terrifying than a cobweb covered grate!

Thanks in advance!

torbrex

It may just have been a vent to allow hot air from the fire on the room below to escape into the bedroom and give some warmth.
We had something similar in a house that I once lived in and it was quite amazing how much heat came out of the vent

ariba10

They might have taken a fire out and put in a vent to allow an airflow up the chimney to stop damp.

If it is and you want to be rid of it I would get the top of the chimney capped to stop rainwater.