What is this vent on an internal wall?

[Jakg]

Trying to modernise my spare bedroom and I've got this oddity on the wall near the ceiling.

It's on an external wall, but only appears to vent into the cavity, not through the wall. However, even with the flap in the closed position, it still lets lots of draughts in.

I think I might be better off removing it and sealing it to reduce draughts - but I don't even know what it's called!

House is a 1930's ex-council house.

Any ideas?

[SystemParanoia]

it must be for the spiders...

[227bhp]

It's called ventilation, it's what we used to have many years ago.

[Jakg]

I’ve had another look and it has a duct inside that goes right through the cavity to an air brick on the other side, so it must be for ventilating the room, not the cavity.

It’s the only room in the house to have one - the bedroom next door doesn’t.

There was a (now removed) fireplace in the room so I’m guessing it was for that?

Leaning towards removing it.

[Paul Drawmer]

It's for sweeping the chimney. Well, that would have been the original use, prior to having a duct to an air brick.

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 18th January 08:27

[dickymint]

Paul Drawmer said:

It's for sweeping the chimney. Well, that would have been the original use, prior to having a duct to an air brick.

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 18th January 08:27

Doubt you'd get a brush in that!

[PhilboSE]

dickymint said:

Paul Drawmer said:

It's for sweeping the chimney. Well, that would have been the original use, prior to having a duct to an air brick.

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 18th January 08:27

Doubt you'd get a brush in that!

But that was indeed its original purpose.

[Lotobear]

That's not a soot door, it's a room ventilator - very common in public housing of that period.

I would block it up provided you have adequate vent via windows/trickle vents

[dickymint]

PhilboSE said:

dickymint said:

Paul Drawmer said:

It's for sweeping the chimney. Well, that would have been the original use, prior to having a duct to an air brick.

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 18th January 08:27

Doubt you'd get a brush in that!

But that was indeed its original purpose.

I doubt it.

[Jakg]

Paul Drawmer said:

It's for sweeping the chimney. Well, that would have been the original use, prior to having a duct to an air brick.

Edited by Paul Drawmer on Thursday 18th January 08:27

It's 3m away from the chimney. You'd need a long brush...

Lotobear said:

That's not a soot door, it's a room ventilator - very common in public housing of that period.

I would block it up provided you have adequate vent via windows/trickle vents

It's next to a window that has trickle vents.

[Lotobear]

In that case block it up

[konark]

Room ventilators were very common in mid 20th century houses; I've never figured out why, they were even put in rooms without fires. They usually vented to the outside ( occasionally into the landing) with a louvred air-brick, your other rooms may have had them but they have been bricked up; the grills may still be on the outside, have a look to see if they are still there. At least your's closed, many were made of thin metal that got stuck open. In winter it was like having a 9 inch square hole in the wall!

[Lotobear]

My best guess is there is a paragraph in some obscure public health act from the time which mandated them.

[Piersman2]

My guess would be that it's a ventilation for when the room fire was in use. The rational being to make sure there is sufficient fresh air/oxygen being pulled into the room as the fire is in use. Stop people suffocating in their sleep!

[flatsix3.6]

Don't think they were used to sweep chimneys or aid a fire, I had one in my bedroom as a lad (council house semi) and it was on the side external wall and the chimney breast was on the party wall with the neighbours.

It was the only one in the house.

Edited by flatsix3.6 on Saturday 20th January 13:02

Edited by flatsix3.6 on Saturday 20th January 13:02

[C Lee Farquar]

konark said:

Room ventilators were very common in mid 20th century houses; I've never figured out why, they were even put in rooms without fires. They usually vented to the outside ( occasionally into the landing) with a louvred air-brick, your other rooms may have had them but they have been bricked up; the grills may still be on the outside, have a look to see if they are still there. At least your's closed, many were made of thin metal that got stuck open. In winter it was like having a 9 inch square hole in the wall!

We're putting them in our new build, the windows have no trickle vents and we like fresh air.