12 Year Old House - Airbricks

alexrose1uk

Hi all,
Currently in the position of needing to get some plastic airbricks replaced as one has been damaged by wildlife, and the rest are starting to look a bit worse for wear.
Whilst getting quotes on the repair, we've noticed one of the airbricks is almost directly behind the gas mains with very little room to work with, and as per the contractor we're looking to get to do the replacement; thats actually against current NHBC rules, it's far too close; and doing some independent research, looks like he is correct, and the original builders have cut a corner here/maybe the rules changed in the meantime.

In our contractors words, to replace that properly, you'd be having to get professional gas engineers in at the same time as themselves, and it'd work out rather expensive.

He can either leave that one alone, or potentially seal it up with mortar. I've also asked if he could get some rodent mesh and potentially just make that one inaccessible to wildlife; but as said there is very little room to work with, maybe a couple of cm between the wall and the plastic box of the gas meter; and it too is starting to look tired and potentially brittle.

Now, we've got a semi-detatched, our side of the property has 2 airbricks front, 2 rear, and 4 to the side (the other unit still has their original vents to my knowledge).

The question I have is, would sealing that one particular airbrick cause any major issues (especially as it shouldn't really be there under current regs); given there will still be 7 others; or is it best to find a way to leave as is, if it cannot be replaced without an expensive nightmare?

stuart45

Have you got a block and beam floor?

grumpy_codger

alexrose1uk said:

... the rest are starting to look a bit worse for wear.

Do you think this is a really good reason for replacing them? Unless they were defective at the start, 12 yeas is nothing.

alexrose1uk

stuart45 said:

Have you got a block and beam floor?

Unfortunately not 100% sure, as the first we were able to see the property the concrete was already down.

alexrose1uk

grumpy_codger said:

alexrose1uk said:

... the rest are starting to look a bit worse for wear.

Do you think this is a really good reason for replacing them? Unless they were defective at the start, 12 yeas is nothing.

One of them has already been chewed right through overnight, the mortar is failing on some of the others and the plastic is starting to go. There were a lot of things rushed on these properties, so yes, if we are going to spend money on getting them done, we might as well get them all redone.