Hi,
A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had a
company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she had an
open fire she would have to pay an extra £60 for the installation of a
core vent. When she questioned this she was told that it was the law.
Could someone tell us if this is the case or if the guy was just trying
to get the most out of her.
Thank you for your help.

wrote:
Hi,
A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had a
company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she had an
open fire she would have to pay an extra £60 for the installation of a
core vent. When she questioned this she was told that it was the law.
Could someone tell us if this is the case or if the guy was just trying
to get the most out of her.
Thank you for your help.

I'm guessing here, but I would think he is reffering to the need to
have a vent in the room to provide air so the fire can draw properly.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was a building regs requirement
(we were told we would need something similar for our wood burner
(though in the event the co forgot to fit it, and we didn't remind them
(it draws fine))

If this is going into a cavity wall either as a new fit or to replace
an existing vent, then £60 doesn't sound too bad if it includes supply
and fit (especially if they have to start from scratch).

It will I presume need to be built like a tunnel through both walls.
Don't understand why this doesn't count as bridging the gap and
potentially cause damp problems, then again I don't understand why
cavity insulation doesn't do that either.

Christian McArdle wrote:
A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had
a company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she
had an open fire she would have to pay an extra £60 for the
installation of a core vent.

Yes, open fires need ventilation in order to avoid the production of
poisonous carbon monoxide and to prevent the exhaust fumes spilling into the
room. I've got one of those horrible vents in my front room. Not only is it
horrendously ugly, but it also allows enough cold air in to make an energy
efficiency a mockery. I usually contrive some way of blocking it up. I might
go for squirty foam as a more permanent solution. We don't use the fire.

Christian.


The BEST way to ventilate a fire is with underfloor ducting to the fire
itself.

Wall vents are vile: they admit as much cold as air.

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:55:19 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

| A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had
| a company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she
| had an open fire she would have to pay an extra ?60 for the
| installation of a core vent.
|
|Yes, open fires need ventilation in order to avoid the production of
|poisonous carbon monoxide and to prevent the exhaust fumes spilling into the
|room. I've got one of those horrible vents in my front room. Not only is it
|horrendously ugly, but it also allows enough cold air in to make an energy
|efficiency a mockery. I usually contrive some way of blocking it up. I might
|go for squirty foam as a more permanent solution. We don't use the fire.

And when you sell the house, or move out?

Far better to get rid of the open fire and install central heating with a
combi room sealed boiler.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.

wrote:
Hi,
A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had a
company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she had an
open fire she would have to pay an extra £60 for the installation of a
core vent. When she questioned this she was told that it was the law.
Could someone tell us if this is the case or if the guy was just trying
to get the most out of her.
Thank you for your help.

=================

If your friend's floor is floorboards (not concrete) and there is an air
brick on an external wall ventilating the under floor space then she could
ask if a floor vent can be fitted instead of having a 4 inch diameter hole
bored through the wall. As far as I am aware the regulations still permit
this.

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:14:58 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

| Far better to get rid of the open fire and install central heating with a
| combi room sealed boiler.
|
|It is an Edwardian property. Removing a fireplace in our street is
|considered not much better than kiddie fiddling. The heating is already
|provided by radiator.

Then block off the *chimney*, just above the fireplace, and leave the
fireplace as a feature. Because you will no longer be able to use the
fire, you can also block the vent.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.

Then block off the *chimney*, just above the fireplace, and leave the
fireplace as a feature. Because you will no longer be able to use the
fire, you can also block the vent.

Indeed. That is what I was proposing, although I didn't mention the chimney.

The back room ones already have the chimney sliced off anyway, due to the
loft conversion coveting the space.

Christian.

Dave Fawthrop wrote:
On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:55:19 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

| A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had
| a company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she
| had an open fire she would have to pay an extra ?60 for the
| installation of a core vent.
|
|Yes, open fires need ventilation in order to avoid the production of
|poisonous carbon monoxide and to prevent the exhaust fumes spilling into the
|room. I've got one of those horrible vents in my front room. Not only is it
|horrendously ugly, but it also allows enough cold air in to make an energy
|efficiency a mockery. I usually contrive some way of blocking it up. I might
|go for squirty foam as a more permanent solution. We don't use the fire.

And when you sell the house, or move out?

Far better to get rid of the open fire and install central heating with a
combi room sealed boiler.
--

We had one of those vents, and I noticed the previous owner had blocked
it with a piece of hardboard screwed over the top.
But we recently had the fireplace completely removed and the wall
re-plastered, which covered the vent. Although this solution may be a
little extreme for the OP.

"Christian McArdle" wrote:
In fact, our back room has such a vent for its old fireplace and it is
much
superior to the front room wall vent. The front room vent is capable of
producing hurricane force cold winds in winter.

Christian.

Yes, my experience exactly.
Dining room has floor ventilation and is hardly noticeable in winter.
Lounge has 4 inch diameter wall hole ventilation and it would be like
sitting in a cold store during winter but for the fact that I block it off.

If your friend's floor is floorboards (not concrete) and there is an air
brick on an external wall ventilating the under floor space then she could
ask if a floor vent can be fitted instead of having a 4 inch diameter hole
bored through the wall. As far as I am aware the regulations still permit
this.

Nobodies asked so I will, what is this to do with cavity wall insulation?.
Does this replace an existing vent or do they make a new hole?

Dave

wrote in message
ups.com...

wrote:
Hi,
A friend of mine is having cavity wall insulation done. She had a
company come in to get an estimate and she was told that as she had an
open fire she would have to pay an extra £60 for the installation of a
core vent. When she questioned this she was told that it was the law.
Could someone tell us if this is the case or if the guy was just trying
to get the most out of her.
Thank you for your help.

I'm guessing here, but I would think he is reffering to the need to
have a vent in the room to provide air so the fire can draw properly.

But what difference would cavity wall insulation have on ir gong into a
room?

Mary

"gort" wrote in message
news

If your friend's floor is floorboards (not concrete) and there is an air
brick on an external wall ventilating the under floor space then she
could
ask if a floor vent can be fitted instead of having a 4 inch diameter
hole
bored through the wall. As far as I am aware the regulations still permit
this.

Nobodies asked so I will, what is this to do with cavity wall insulation?.
Does this replace an existing vent or do they make a new hole?

Sorry, I didn't read this post before I asked.

When we had cw insulation it was never brought up. We don't have open fires
(i.e. solid fulel) but we have gas fires in two rooms and they need air just
the same.

We weren't asked about fires at all.

Mary

Dave

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 11:16:57 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:

|I'm guessing here, but I would think he is reffering to the need to
|have a vent in the room to provide air so the fire can draw properly.
|
|But what difference would cavity wall insulation have on ir gong into a
|room?

Bunging up the cavity with fiber will reduce draughts round joists, between
floors and under floors. At least my filling my cavities with foam did
that.

--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.

But what difference would cavity wall insulation have on ir gong into a
room?

It can reduce the amount of natural parasitic ventilation below a safe level
for an open flued appliance.

Christian.

We where asked to sign a disclaimer saying we didn't have any gas or open
fires when we had our walls done a couple of months ago, we where also sent
a 10yr guarantee shortly afterwards.

Pete

Mary Fisher wrote:
"gort" wrote in message
news
If your friend's floor is floorboards (not concrete) and there is an air
brick on an external wall ventilating the under floor space then she
could
ask if a floor vent can be fitted instead of having a 4 inch diameter
hole
bored through the wall. As far as I am aware the regulations still permit
this.
Nobodies asked so I will, what is this to do with cavity wall insulation?.
Does this replace an existing vent or do they make a new hole?

Sorry, I didn't read this post before I asked.

When we had cw insulation it was never brought up. We don't have open fires
(i.e. solid fulel) but we have gas fires in two rooms and they need air just
the same.

We weren't asked about fires at all.

Mary
Dave




I have had three estimates for cavity wall and loft insulation recently.
One gave no information, the second was very informative the third a
little info. The informative one checked the fire, said as it was below
X KW output (forgotten the figure) it was ok. He also said that as I had
2 vents, one for a toilet the other in the cloak room when the
installers came they would check that they were sleeved core vents, if
not they will charge £45 to replace them. Also to thoroughly check
where all cables and pipes pass through the walls that both inside and
out are sealed to prevent the insulation escaping. As his price was only
a couple of quid above the cheapest he will get the job.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
...
But what difference would cavity wall insulation have on ir gong into a
room?

It can reduce the amount of natural parasitic ventilation below a safe
level
for an open flued appliance.

:-)

Can we have that in English, please?

Mary

Christian.

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:07:14 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

| It can reduce the amount of natural parasitic ventilation below a safe
| level for an open flued appliance.
|
| Can we have that in English, please?
|
|You might be still alive because the room is getting air through holes in
|the cavity wall (probably below floor level). When you fill the cavity wall
|with foam, those holes will be blocked, the air won't get to the fire and
|you will die a slow and lingering death.

Which is what I said in simpler terms in another post.
Thanks :-)
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.

Which is what I said in simpler terms in another post.
Thanks :-)

Indeed. I posted my original version before yours appeared. My latest
epistle was in response to a request for translation. ;-)

Christian.

On Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:37:54 +0100, "Christian McArdle"
wrote:

| Which is what I said in simpler terms in another post.
| Thanks :-)
|
|Indeed. I posted my original version before yours appeared. My latest
|epistle was in response to a request for translation. ;-)

I might have asked for a translation if Mary had not got in first ;-)
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
...
It can reduce the amount of natural parasitic ventilation below a safe
level for an open flued appliance.

Can we have that in English, please?

You might be still alive because the room is getting air through holes in
the cavity wall (probably below floor level). When you fill the cavity
wall
with foam, those holes will be blocked, the air won't get to the fire and
you will die a slow and lingering death.

The cavity is filled with fibrous rockwool which is blown in, not a solid
mass which bungs up every hole!

Mary

Christian.

I might have asked for a translation if Mary had not got in first ;-)

Surely not, although I have noticed that Mary does appreciate a less
sententious reply than some.

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
...
The cavity is filled with fibrous rockwool which is blown in, not a solid
mass which bungs up every hole!

If it doesn't stop airflow, then it will be a pathetic insulator, whether
it
is made of plastic foam, fibres, newspapers or anything else.

We noticed a difference from Day 1.

I've recommended it to lots of people. We had it done years ago when we had
to pay more than the cost today even if you don't have a grant. It's exactly
the same system which is being done today, same company too.

Mary

Christian.

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
...
The cavity is filled with fibrous rockwool which is blown in, not a
solid
mass which bungs up every hole!

If it doesn't stop airflow, then it will be a pathetic insulator,
whether
it is made of plastic foam, fibres, newspapers or anything else.

We noticed a difference from Day 1.

I've recommended it to lots of people. We had it done years ago when we
had
to pay more than the cost today even if you don't have a grant. It's
exactly
the same system which is being done today, same company too.

I'm not suggesting that your insulation doesn't work, just that it WILL
block up every hole, or prevent airflow getting to that hole, by
preventing
airflow within the cavity.

I think you're wrong but there's no point in pursuing it.

Mary

Christian.