albertz
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 07:43 PM |
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Fireplace Vent (random question!)
Apologies for the random question...
I have started using my open fire in my new house and we do not have a fresh air intake yet, although this is on the list the Council have identified
before issuing full completion.
Anyway, i have been looking at getting some sort of vent set up to meet the requirements. The problem is that my wife suffers badly from Hay Fever to
the extent that when we built this house we installed a whole house mechanical heat recovery ventilation system that filters the incoming supply air
for pollen etc. This made a massive difference to her last summer and her reaction was much less than normal. However if we cut a great gaping hole in
the wall it will provide air for combustion, but will also provide an easy entrance for the pollen and also for the cold north winds we are currently
experiencing. Also, since the fireplace is mainly decorative and the fire only lit on certain occassions, Saturday nights etc then we ideally want a
vent that we can easily shut off or isolate.
All the vents i have seen as standard are basically just a hole in the wall with a grille on the inside and outside to stop vermin etc.
In this day and age it seems ridiculous to have such an obvious source of heat loss/cold air infiltration. However, we obviously need a combustion air
intake vent....
So...does anyone know of a vent system that satisfies the regulations while also being suitable for shutting off 90% of the time?
Any help appreciated.
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zilspeed
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 07:48 PM |
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You can readily buy extractors with powered shutters.
The shutters are on a time delay and only open after the fan has been running for around a minute.
The rest of the time they remain firmly closed.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 07:49 PM |
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Some grates can be supplied directly with air via a pipe from underneath - not sure if that would work for you (they tend to be fitted during
installation/building).
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Paul (Notts)
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 07:54 PM |
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When the gas man cut and installed our vent so that our caol fire had a vent he left the inside grill loose. When the fire is not in use the vent is
blocked with a big cloth. If I light the fire I remove the cloth from behind the grill. Simple.
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albertz
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 08:01 PM |
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The problem is that i have a solid concrete floor, so installing something into the floor is a no-no really. Ideally it would be something fitted into
the wall.
Regarding the powered extractor, i am not entirely sure what you mean, i need supply air rather than extract, maybe thats what you are getting at? Can
it be set-up in reverse to act as a supply?
I would have thought that a powered vent would be extremely difficult to match to a fireplace resulting in either too much or too little air. As i
understand it the fire should draw the air it requires for combustion. Its just that when the fire is not lit the air intake will defeat the air tight
structure that i have tried to achieve and also bring the pollution into the house.
We use a chimney balloon when the fire is not lit to stop the heat escaping up the chimney, it works very well.
Edit: Paul, that is not a bad idea! which i might yet use, although i had hoped for something more engineered.
[Edited on 6/2/09 by albertz]
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MikeR
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 08:08 PM |
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Could you not put the vent at the back of the fireplace? Then when you go to light the fire you remove something covering the vent? Also means it
won't be that obvious the rest of the time.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 08:11 PM |
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You can get vents with a slider that can be opened and closed as you wish ('Hit and Miss' vent cover). I don't know if the fact
that it can be closed is acceptable to the authorities.
If you put the vent right alongside the fireplace then the draft will go straight to the fire - don't put it on the other side of the room!
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paulf
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 09:55 PM |
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My parents house is like that and has been for the last 50 years since it was built .They are now getting cavity wall insulation and have been told
they have to have a vent cut through the wall to let in a cold draught.The company doing the work said that they cant do the work unless it is vented
even though the fireplace has its own under floor supply.
Paul.
quote:
Originally posted by David Jenkins
Some grates can be supplied directly with air via a pipe from underneath - not sure if that would work for you (they tend to be fitted during
installation/building).
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907
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| posted on 6/2/09 at 11:35 PM |
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Hi
My first thought is to make one.
1. Find a suitable sized car air con pollen filter.
2. Make up a metal duct that the filter fits into, the same length as your wall thickness.
3. Cut a hole in the wall and fit the duct.
4. Fit a vermin grill on the outside.
5. Fit an open/close grill or flap on the inside.
The hardest bit for me would be the hole in the wall. If your house is brick then maybe take a whole brick out.
Paul G
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austin man
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| posted on 7/2/09 at 12:29 AM |
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you can have vents installed into your windows which open and close, I was employed in the PVCU window business for amny years and this was a
requirement of the council. we suggested to cusomers that they could tape the hole up in the summer months if hayfever was a problem.
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a4gom
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| posted on 7/2/09 at 10:25 AM |
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i recently installed a gas fire which has a catalytic convertor on and is very close to 99% efficient as you get all the heat in the room, no flue,
surprised me to find I also needed to cut a big hole in the wall which the wind blew threw. Probably brings it down to 80% efficient??
Anyway I digress, I fitted a cowl vent on the outside, I think they are used for extractors and dryers, they have a flap which is blown open when
extracting. obviously we need it to allow air in so I have a piece of welding wire attached which runs up the duct and through the internal vent which
I use to hol the flap open when I have the fire on.
It only sticks out a couple of inch when closed and its behind the telly so no one can see it but its stainless and i've put a nice curl on the
end as a handle
Andy
Perfect planning prevents pi$$ poor performance!
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