The gas man came to service the boiler, which draws air from the room,
so needs significant ventilation. Checking the relevant airbrick, he
found the duct behind it blocked by a wasps' nest. Rather than do
anything about it, being a good bloke for a CORGI, he took my word
that I will sort it.
The current airbrick is a red clay 9" x 6" jobbie and clearly needs to
be bashed out to clear the duct. My man suggested replacing it with a
plastic thing such as:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13873/...ick-Terracotta

This is fine, but it'll be necessary to stack two together and put
them in with ducts that go through the cavity.

Thinking about this, it seems to me that an alternative might be to
keep the surround of the existing airbrick in situ and put a plastic
louvre over the hole, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16105/...-6-229-x-152mm

This would seem a lot simpler to do, so does anyone have any thoughts
as to why I shouldn't?

Thanks
G

"GMM" wrote in message
...
The gas man came to service the boiler, which draws air from the room,
so needs significant ventilation. Checking the relevant airbrick, he
found the duct behind it blocked by a wasps' nest. Rather than do
anything about it, being a good bloke for a CORGI, he took my word
that I will sort it.
The current airbrick is a red clay 9" x 6" jobbie and clearly needs to
be bashed out to clear the duct. My man suggested replacing it with a
plastic thing such as:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13873/...ick-Terracotta

This is fine, but it'll be necessary to stack two together and put
them in with ducts that go through the cavity.

Thinking about this, it seems to me that an alternative might be to
keep the surround of the existing airbrick in situ and put a plastic
louvre over the hole, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16105/...-6-229-x-152mm

This would seem a lot simpler to do, so does anyone have any thoughts
as to why I shouldn't?

You could drill the mortar and then chisel it out and remove the air brick
intact.

"GMM" wrote in message
...
The gas man came to service the boiler, which draws air from the room,
so needs significant ventilation. Checking the relevant airbrick, he
found the duct behind it blocked by a wasps' nest. Rather than do
anything about it, being a good bloke for a CORGI, he took my word
that I will sort it.
The current airbrick is a red clay 9" x 6" jobbie and clearly needs to
be bashed out to clear the duct. My man suggested replacing it with a
plastic thing such as:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13873/...ick-Terracotta

This is fine, but it'll be necessary to stack two together and put
them in with ducts that go through the cavity.

Thinking about this, it seems to me that an alternative might be to
keep the surround of the existing airbrick in situ and put a plastic
louvre over the hole, like this:
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/16105/...-6-229-x-152mm

This would seem a lot simpler to do, so does anyone have any thoughts
as to why I shouldn't?

The air brick has a known free air flow and is designed for two to be
clipped together to make a replacement for a 9" x 6" gas air vent. The white
vent has an unknown free air flow and is a bodge.

Colin Bignell

Well, dennis, I was trying to make a simpler job of it, not a more
complicated one!

I need 100cm2 of free flow and the white vent gives 130, so it exceeds
the minimum and gives exactly the same flow as the airbrick, so I
can't quite see how it can be a bodge, Colin.

"GMM" wrote in message
...
Well, dennis, I was trying to make a simpler job of it, not a more
complicated one!

I need 100cm2 of free flow and the white vent gives 130, so it exceeds
the minimum and gives exactly the same flow as the airbrick, so I
can't quite see how it can be a bodge, Colin.

As you said, the right way would be to replace the air bricks and fit
tunnels through the cavity. IMO, anything less is a bodge.

Colin Bignell

On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:47:28 +0100, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname
here.me.uk wrote:

The air brick has a known free air flow and is designed for two to be
clipped together to make a replacement for a 9" x 6" gas air vent. The white
vent has an unknown free air flow and is a bodge.

Can we get clear the difference between a "bodge" and a "botch"?

A "bodge" is a perfectly acceptable solution to a problem produced by
a practical man, perhaps not following theoretical formulæ, but which
does the job eminently.

A "botch" is an unacceptable product of a cowboy.

--
Frank Erskine

Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:47:28 +0100, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname
here.me.uk wrote:

The air brick has a known free air flow and is designed for two to be
clipped together to make a replacement for a 9" x 6" gas air vent.
The white vent has an unknown free air flow and is a bodge.

Can we get clear the difference between a "bodge" and a "botch"?

A "bodge" is a perfectly acceptable solution to a problem produced by
a practical man, perhaps not following theoretical formulæ, but which
does the job eminently.

A "botch" is an unacceptable product of a cowboy.

I'm with Frank.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
om...
Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:47:28 +0100, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname
here.me.uk wrote:

The air brick has a known free air flow and is designed for two to be
clipped together to make a replacement for a 9" x 6" gas air vent.
The white vent has an unknown free air flow and is a bodge.

Can we get clear the difference between a "bodge" and a "botch"?

A "bodge" is a perfectly acceptable solution to a problem produced by
a practical man, perhaps not following theoretical formulæ, but which
does the job eminently.

A "botch" is an unacceptable product of a cowboy.

I'm with Frank.

I'm with Ettore Bugatti

Colin Bignell

Interesting semantic distinction....The fings wot you learn on 'ere
huh?

So, since it's a bodge, that should be a good approach to take then?

It just seems that using the vent compared with the airbrick would
involve less disturbance, fewer materials, a whole lot less time and a
much reduced chance of anything going belly up coupled with the same
functional outcome. Cosmetically, I'm not sure there's much to
choose, since the plastic airbricks look pretty naff especially when
splodged up with silicone to hold a pair together.

I'd be with Ettore Bugatti too, if he gave me a veyron....

In article ,
GMM writes:
The gas man came to service the boiler, which draws air from the room,
so needs significant ventilation. Checking the relevant airbrick, he
found the duct behind it blocked by a wasps' nest. Rather than do
anything about it, being a good bloke for a CORGI, he took my word
that I will sort it.
The current airbrick is a red clay 9" x 6" jobbie and clearly needs to
be bashed out to clear the duct.

If it's an old nest, you may well clear it simply with a vacuum
cleaner nozzle sealed against either side -- they have no strength.
If necessary, poke something through the holes to break it up
first.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

i seem to remember that all wasp nests are empty in the winter
and safe to clear out, n(and should be cos mice and bugs move into
them)
or they can be dealt with when its very cold and thyre asleep,
or be ready for angry wasps!

[g]

On 5 Sep, 00:18, Frank Erskine wrote:
On Thu, 4 Sep 2008 22:47:28 +0100, "nightjar" cpb@insert my surname

here.me.uk wrote:
The air brick has a known free air flow and is designed for two to be
clipped together to make a replacement for a 9" x 6" gas air vent. The white
vent has an unknown free air flow and is a bodge.

Can we get clear the difference between a "bodge" and a "botch"?

A "bodge" is a perfectly acceptable solution to a problem produced by
a practical man, perhaps not following theoretical formulæ, but which
does the job eminently.

A "botch" is an unacceptable product of a cowboy.

--
Frank Erskine

I don't agree. A bodge works better than something botched, but it is
a make-do, a clumsy repair. Fine if it is temporary a 'get you home'
thing, in which case your definition would probably apply, but if it
is intended to be permanent, it is poor worksmanship.

The OED agrees, for what it is worth:

1. trans. To patch or mend clumsily.
2. to bodge up: to put together clumsily; to botch up, to do or make
up in a clumsy fashion.

"GMM" wrote in message
...
Well, dennis, I was trying to make a simpler job of it, not a more
complicated one!

I need 100cm2 of free flow and the white vent gives 130, so it
exceeds the minimum and gives exactly the same flow as the airbrick,
so I can't quite see how it can be a bodge, Colin.

As you said, the right way would be to replace the air bricks and fit
tunnels through the cavity. IMO, anything less is a bodge.

Colin Bignell

No it's not a bodge - providing the minmum airflow is maintained through the
cavity it is a perfectly acceptable repair - and it's certainly better than
cutting out the old cavity vent with all the making good to decorations etc.

BTW, it would be a bodge, and against the regs, if it was a 'closeable'
vent.

Tanner-'op

wrote in message
...
....
I don't agree. A bodge works better than something botched, but it is
a make-do, a clumsy repair. Fine if it is temporary a 'get you home'
thing, in which case your definition would probably apply, but if it
is intended to be permanent, it is poor worksmanship.

That is how I see it.

The OED agrees, for what it is worth:

1. trans. To patch or mend clumsily.
2. to bodge up: to put together clumsily; to botch up, to do or make
up in a clumsy fashion.

Both botch and bodge have their roots in the same middle english word, which
meant patch or repair, but which carried no implicit judgment as to the
quality. That came later with bodgers - itinerant carpenters who made parts
for generally low-quality furniture.

Colin Bignell

"GMM" wrote in message
...
....
I'd be with Ettore Bugatti too, if he gave me a veyron....

It wouldn't be made well enough to meet his standards. He thought engines
should be made so well that they did not need gaskets and, for the workers,
not leaving tools in the right place at night - each had a painted outline -
was a dismissible offence.

Colin Bignell

Tanner-'op wrote:
"GMM" wrote in message
...
Well, dennis, I was trying to make a simpler job of it, not a more
complicated one!

I need 100cm2 of free flow and the white vent gives 130, so it
exceeds the minimum and gives exactly the same flow as the airbrick,
so I can't quite see how it can be a bodge, Colin.

As you said, the right way would be to replace the air bricks and fit
tunnels through the cavity. IMO, anything less is a bodge.

Colin Bignell

No it's not a bodge - providing the minmum airflow is maintained
through the cavity it is a perfectly acceptable repair - and it's
certainly better than cutting out the old cavity vent with all the
making good to decorations etc.
BTW, it would be a bodge, and against the regs, if it was a
'closeable' vent.

Tanner-'op

It is a bodge because in a few weeks, months or years time, someone may
decide to fill that cavity with insulation, or snots from brickwork, bits of
old DPC from window reveals etc may fall down and block the vent.

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008