Smart Air Bricks

lohr500

Good point QrizB.
I don't have any air bricks in our property so one thing less to worry about!!! 

mmmmikey

(Health and safety mode on)

I believe these smart air bricks are specifically intended for use in houses with suspended ground floors where the void underneath is ventilated to prevent the build up of moisture and rotting of the floor timbers.

Other houses have air bricks above the floor to provide ventilation for combustion for open fires, some gas appliances and so on. These shouldn't be blocked, even temporarily, if you have an open fire or gas burning appliance that needs them, the risk being that you forget to open them and don't wake up one morning having died from CO poisoning. Sadly that risk is very real and does happen from time to time. For that reason, current building regs don't allow closeable air vents (e.g. the type with a sliding shutter) to be installed.

The golden rule is not to do anything with the vents if you have an open fire or gas appliance without taking advice from a qualified Hetas or Gas Safe engineer as appropriate.

Having said that, the risk is easily managed so nothing to panic about, it's really just a question of awareness.

(Health and safety mode off)

lohr500

Its a good job our old farmhouse isn't airtight then!! We've used open fires for years with no air bricks. It has got me thinking that perhaps we should buy a couple of CO alarms just to be on the safe side.

mmmmikey

lohr500 said:

Its a good job our old farmhouse isn't airtight then!! We've used open fires for years with no air bricks. It has got me thinking that perhaps we should buy a couple of CO alarms just to be on the safe side.

You make a good point Before the days of airbricks houses were generally drafty enough not to need extra ventilation for open fires and the like. The problem arises in such properties if too much effort is made to block the drafts in an effort to save energy. CO alarms are inexpensive and in my view well worth the cost. 

As you'll have realised I'm having a slightly patronising Health and Safety day, hopefully it will wear off soon.....

MultiFuelBurner

We would never run the multi fuel burner without co monitors @lohr500

Mister_G

I would hope that you mean carbon monoxide (CO) monitors 

RHemmings

I found air bricks when I was searching for a product similar to these:

https://www.twistfix.co.uk/heat-recovery-unit-4-pack



These should improve ventilation, without losing heat. I don;t know if these can be installed in air brick holes. 

MultiFuelBurner

RHemmings said:

I found air bricks when I was searching for a product similar to these:

https://www.twistfix.co.uk/heat-recovery-unit-4-pack



These should improve ventilation, without losing heat. I don;t know if these can be installed in air brick holes. 

Looks like the bit that sticks out the wall is round so unlikely and maybe these are mounted higher up like passive extractor fans? (I haven't read the link yet just upon first glance)

Reed_Richards

I agree with @QrizB .  The house I was brought up in had air bricks that were above floor level and it had been constructed to be heated by open fires in the downstairs rooms.  We installed gas central heating and stopped using the fires.  I cannot remember what we did about the airbricks but they became redundant at that point.  

markin

Im sure someone could make a more user friendly version that just snaps on the front to bring down  the install cost.

Also anyone could 3D print a simple snap on plate to block direct wind but not block completely the air flow.