Internal wall vents between rooms in a 1970s conversion.

[TheDecameron]

Acquired a flat converted in the 1970s. Above the internal doors are ugly air brick type vents on both sides of the 1970s stud walls between the hall and rooms off of it.
The decorator claims these should not be removed as they allow air circulation into the dropped ceiling void in the hall. Were this the case, it's not clear why you would need one on either side of the partition walls or indeed if the stud walls vent into the ceiling void.
My guess was they were there due to the presence of gas fires or back boiler in the 1970s conversion.

Any ideas ?

 

[blossomchris]

I think your guess could be a good one. It may be worth trying the local authority (building control) they should be able to tell you if these vents are a requirement.



Bloss

 

[Rodrat]

It could be the remains of a hot air heating system.

 

[gassor]

Acquired a flat ...

Any ideas ?

As in

came across, received, gained, earned, won, came into, was given, bought, purchased, procured, came into possession of, secured, picked up, got hands on, got hold of, landed, bagged, copped, scored.

Sounds a bit dodgy Dec

 

[demotivated]

It just sounds like one of the many stupid building fashion regs, like being forced to have holes in your double glazing - or dangerous, like double pole switches. We should all fiddle our gas meters in disgust.

 

[garyi]

Sure we had them when I was a kid in a council house, circulated hot, cloying, dust filled air.

 

[KC Cantiaci]

It could be the remains of a hot air heating system.

I was wondering the same thing tbh. My parents had what sounded like the same thing and when it was removed, the holes linking the ducting were covered with vent plates by the plumber installing the central heating.

I can't say I've heard of air vents linked to ceiling voids for the sole purpose of ventilation but I'm no architect and thats not to say this couldn't be the case.

 

[Wilky]

I think Rod nailed it - warm air unit.

At high level it's probably return air paths back from each room, into the hallway and connecting to the primary return air duct where the unit was sited.

Dave.

 

[TheDecameron]

It's an 1830 building internally converted to flats in 1974. No way it was hot air heating,walls would not accommodate ducting. On the face of it, it seems to be there to allow air to flow between rooms and hall if internal doors are closed. I'm thinking fires (gas or coal) in each room in the 70s. Now it's central heating with a balanced flue.

 

[Wilky]

The ducting could have been via a dropped ceiling.

 

[TheDecameron]

I'll shove a probe up and I'm seriously considering cutting them out and papering over. Friday the 13th with a plaster knife.

 

[Wilky]

TBH they're not a particularly desirable feature as it allows fire to spread quickly between spaces.

If you have no open-flued appliances - solid fuel or gas then you should be fine.
(Combustion ventilation generally taken at low level direct to outside).

 

[billo]

It could be the remains of a hot air heating system.

We had some in the house we moved into in the early '80s. I don't think there was any ducting as it was a cheap con, just like painting your roof to insulate it. The '70s were terrible times for shoddy, cheap builds and conversions, I'm sure the original house had a good air flow.

 

[LostAtSea]

I'll shove a probe up and I'm seriously considering cutting them out and papering over. Friday the 13th with a plaster knife.

This, We did exactly the same for our '60's flat that had ducting connecting the 'outside' to an interior corridor. No 'regs' that required us to retain this feature, and no internal heating systems/whatever that would logically require such an arrangement. Just a dusty cobweb-infested duct that took 10 minutes to remove with a club hammer.

Steve

 

[TheDecameron]

There wasn't an attaché case stuffed with cash in there, was there?


https://commentarytrack.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/no-country-for-old-men-03.jpg

 

[DevillEars]

Hmmm... Much focus on air circulation as rationale for inter-room vents...

I wonder.......

Some other possible rationales behind these vents:

a) Internal wall vents between rooms in a 1970s convers(ati)ion - aid to inter-room communication between residents?

b) 1970s decade was a boom time for audio so maybe inter-room paths for sound system sharing?

On the other hand, maybe they were just symptoms of frustration on the part of architects trying to make more out of plain unsullied blank walls....

I guess you won't find too many vents linking the loo to any other internal rooms...

Who knows? (I don't!)

Dave