Air Brick through flooring

Copleyuk

Hi,
We have just purchased a new house, its around early 1900s..
In the dinning room there is a metal vent in the flooring which seems to be connected to an air brick.

As the vent obviously is not for preventing damp in the wall or under the floor, what purpose would it be serving and most importantly what would be the implications of covering it as it is basically like having a big hole in the floor!!

Thanks in advance

martinthebandit

What sort of heating do you have?
Is there an open fire or wood burner type thing in the room, if so what size output is it?
If you have a gas boiler, how is it vented?

Copleyuk

The heating in that room is a radiator heated by a gas combi boiler vented outside from the room its in.

There is an open fire in a connected room which is vented out the chimney. Not sure about the output size.

Thanks

societys_child

I've seen these before in old houses, it's to do with ventilation and open fires/ gas fires. Is there anything similar in the room with the open fire?


If there's no way to draw air into the room, fumes may not be drawn up the chimney efficiently.

Doozergirl

I was going to suggest it had something to do with the fireplace too

Copleyuk

Thanks for the replies.

The room with the fireplace is an adjoining room so no ventilation to that from this floor vent.

There is another air brick in the wall of the room with the fire but that doesnt come up through a floor in the same way and is only visable externally.

There is a what could have been a chimney breast in the room in question, i.e. recesses in the wall but no sign of a fireplace in there now.

bertiewhite

What kind of flooring do you have in these rooms?

Can I suggest that if there are traditional floorboards with gaps this would allow ventilation but modern laminate won't?

Copleyuk

Floor in the room with the vent is hard wood. Floor with the fire place is carpet.