Air Vents - Good or Bad?

[Spruance]

The people that are installing our new central heating system have suggested that we should have air vents in all three bedrooms as they say that this will improve the airflow.

To my mind this is something of a paradox, as having taken various steps over the years to insulate the house and keep the warmth in, knocking a hole in the wall to let it out doesn't make a lot of sense.

There were air vents in the bedrooms where we lived previously, but these were essentially just an exterior air brick with an interior vented metal plate. I know air vent technology has moved on as we had one installed in the living room this year as a requirement of the cavity wall insulation installation.

The question is, are (bedroom) air vents necessary, and do they cause a draught (like they did at our last house! )?

[Weeterrier]

I would say that this depends on quite a few factors Spru. One of the main benefits of them in bedrooms is that they can control the possibility of mildew. It is quite scary to see just how much condensation can be caused by peoples' breathe overnight. Of course, it's east enough to open the window a tiny bit.
Having had extensive dry rot in one of my houses, I read up on dampness and stuff like that. The correct balance of heat and ventilation is the key to keeping a building in good condition.
In my experience, the newer the house, the more ventilation is required. In old houses, there are usually gaps in floorboards, under skirtings and around doors, perhaps even fireplaces, and these all keep mildew at bay. Once you have double glazing, fitted carpets etc., air flow is reduced considerably.

[Barbara]

wee when you had dry rot could you not claim on your insurance.
spru we only have an air vent in one bedroom the one on the gable end,

[Spruance]

Thanks to you both.

We currently have vents in the utility room, kitchen, living room, and an electric extractor fan in the bathroom ceiling. In addition there are window vents in the bathroom window and in two bedrooms.

Nonetheless, having done the research I am inclined towards the suggested bedroom ones, just so long as they are draught proof. Just lately I have developed a tendency to have various aches and pains if I have been in a draught. <pooroldgitsmiley>.

Since I spend a lot of time in the back bedroom on GWD duties I don't want to end up with a permanent stiff neck!

[Weeterrier]

Spru, the window vents should be enough, that is all I have in the bedrooms.

Barbara, I cannot remember what happened about the insurance when we had the dry rot. We had been in the house only a year, and we had left renovation of the bathroom till last (back in 1982) We hadn't had a full structural survey done, were all very innocent at the time. The previous owners had made sure the tell tale signs had been disguised, for example, new skirting boards. It was a three storey house, Edwardian terrace, and the rot ran from the basement to the roof. At the time, our mortgage was only £8,500 (amazing!!) and the rot cost over £20,000 to put right. It had eaten through 8"x2" joists, God knows how the house was still standing It took us a long time to get over it, financially and emotionally.
I remember the Insurance Assessor coming, but for some reason we had no claim.
Some folk think dry rot sounds better than wet rot, but it is like a cancer in a building. At the time, I was an expert, not just on the rot but on the covering-up of it, and I could smell it at a hundred yards. ;D

[Spruance]

Well it looks very much like it's not going to happen now WT as to say that I am dissatisfied with the work done today is something of an understatement. Given that the same person was going to install the air vents, I think it would be wise to forget the whole thing.

We know a friendly builder who can advise us on this and do the job too if necessary, so I think that is the best bet.

[Weeterrier]

Awww, what went wrong?

PS Actually I'm not surprised, as I thought it odd that they should suggest the air vents. It has never been suggested to by anyone other than a surveyor. Certainly not a central heating man. Bet he was just fishing for more work.

[Spruance]

What went wrong? More like what went right!

Essentially they have overstayed their welcome on a job which we expected to take not much more than a week but which is looking like four weeks by the time that they have finally finished. The complaints stretched to a 7 page Word document but suffice to say that I am not happy. The fact that it is a fixed price quote is little consolation to the constant upheaval, but after a confrontation ...ahem... discussion this morning, they have promised to put everything right before they leave.

The air vents were to have been fitted as an 'on the side' job by one of the installers, but I think as the Americans say, we will take that under advisement! ;D