On 17/12/2020 22:12, Monique Castellani-Kraan wrote:
Hi all, could use some input on this because I'm a bit of a novice
and need to make sure I'm using the right tools for the job!

Our house was built in the 1940s and we've lived there for almost 30
years, and little did we know there was a badly filled-in air brick
inside my build-in clothes wardrobe. In recent years I wondered why I
had such a bad clothes moth problem and why my clothes smelled
fusty.

The air brick is 6 ft above the floorboards, directly inside my
enclosed wardrobe. It is in a contained space consisting of only my
clothes wardrobe and bookcase inside my bedroom. Photos here.
https://imgur.com/a/KCKaehO

Looking at that picture I am more concerned with the corner ceiling
which looks to be the source of the walls dampness. I think the air
brick is a symptom and not a cause. Although the previous attempt to
fill it may have bridged the inner and outer walls leading to problems.

Which direction does the offending wall face? Into the prevailing wind?

So needless to say this air brick needs filling in because of its
ridiculous location. Now the question is what do I use to seal this
flipping thing up for good so that this doesn't happen again?

I'm not sure that opening the air brick might not at least partially
solve the problem by allowing some exchange of air with the outside.

The way that the steel bracket has rusted suggests that the entire wall
is damp and the inside of the wardrobe too. The edges of the impermeable
air brick are merely acting to focus the dampness.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown