Air Vent/Grill Advice

[izzop]

Hi,

Hoping someone can give me some guidance on the best way to proceed with the following that I discovered today whilst removing some plaster.

Firstly, the property is circa 1900's and is of a single skin 9" construction.

It's in the process of being re-rendered, although due to the current weather it's on hold. In the plinth at the front of the property is this air vent: -

Inside just above floor level I came across a small void once I'd removed some plaster off the front internal wall: -

Upon further inspection I worked out that it was directly behind the air vent/grill: -

My question, or questions are: -

1. What purpose does it serve?
2. Can I fully remove it and brick it up without causing any problems?
3. Surely leaving it as is is going to cause problems, damp ones I presume further down the road?

The reason I was removing the plaster along the wall was with the intention of placing damp proof rods in, but clearly with such a void from inside to out there doesn't seem much point in doing so.

Any thoughts on what to do greatly appreciated, or if anyone has had dealings with similar before and how/what you did also appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Hedge]

Vents like that usually provide ventilation under floating floors. Blocking them ones is a bad idea.

However that seems above ground level so it's a bit unusual.

Has your floor been lowered?

 

[izzop]

Vents like that usually provide ventilation under floating floors. Blocking them ones is a bad idea.

However that seems above ground level so it's a bit unusual.

Has your floor been lowered?

There's no evidence of this having been done. I say that as the property is open plan downstairs and it's the same level through out. If the floor had been higher previously you'd of had to step up into it at the front door.

 

[mickyflinn]

If this is above ground its usally a vent for the room to allow air flow to a fire/chimney, a picture further back would give more prespective of the room and where the vent is.

 

[izzop]

If this is above ground its usally a vent for the room to allow air flow to a fire/chimney, a picture further back would give more prespective of the room and where the vent is.

Thanks for the reply.

This is what I think it is left over from, as there would have been an open fire place in the front room originally, or at least before it was knocked through into one room.

Here is a picture showing the location of the void leading to the vent/grill: -

 

[mickyflinn]

Its just as i mentioned so brick it up if you want.

 

[izzop]

Its just as i mentioned so brick it up if you want.

Thanks, will do. Thought that might be the case.

I have a similar vent/grill at the back of the property, roughly here: -

Tomorrow when I remove the plaster in that area I'm expecting to find the same, that is a void half above & below the solid floor. The only difference here will be that there is no plinth so just the 9" wall.

 

[Entai]

usually air vents for fireplaces are higher up the wall ?

Down at that level sealed behind plaster and a skirting board would not supply enough air for a fireplace.

I would still go that at some time in the history of the house it had a suspended floor and the vents were to give ventilation under the floor, especially as there is one at the front and one at the rear to give a good through flow.