Air brick part blocked by concrete

[sb88]

Hi,

Just bought our first house (1890s terrace) and now dealing with the inevitable age and previous owner related issues.

At the front, there is a large (12 inch square) patterned air brick which lets lots of air into the cellar, and I have also unblocked the coal chute. The cellar isn't dry but it's not bad. Joists seem OK and have kept metal stuff and card down there for a month without issues.

At the rear, there is only a single plastic air brick which has been part-blocked by the concrete path being raised. Looking at the drain hole for a cross-section, about 30mm of concrete has been added so maybe more than one layer over the years.

There is no space to raise it - even once brick course up might be at floor level.

This path is also the right of way for the neighbour to exit past our kitchen wall.

It needs better ventilation: was highlighted in survey and kitchen floor is not level. Boards have been replaced with T&G chipboard - possibly due to historic damp damage.

Under the kitchen floor is just rubble from the house build. There is some air flow from cellar as front as bricks removed for pipes/wiring etc from central wall. But little true through draft.

It looks like the neighbour's path and ours were concreted at the same time: theirs is roughly the same level. Neighbour's is currently unoccupied - in middle of a sale.

So I can remove the concrete on ours, leaving a small step down from neighbours.

However, this:
- Might annoy them if getting home in the dark, especially if pints consumed. Like tripping on a paving slab.
- Might mean rain water drains down onto my section of the path more, soaking in at bottom of the wall. It would pool as there is a raised patio 3 feet away so water can't run off into the distance.

So my thoughts are:

- Remove the concrete and lower by 30+mm.
- Add a brick rain gully 1 inch from the wall to the drain, to divert water from base of wall.
- Repoint brickwork damaged by removal of concrete. Add one extra air brick as well.

Does this make sense?

Would it be better to try to finish the floor so it angles away from the house (raised patio 3 feet away). Would need a more complicated drainage arrangement - brick gully at bottom of slope would then need to come back across path towards house to go into drain. Then be covered where it crosses path to prevent tripping.

Any advice appreciated!!

[sb88]

[sb88]

Our bit is from drain at bottom of pic to the broom

[Dave Jones]

how about using a telescopic vent and bring the top up into the kitchen cupboad and out the wall, just need a single slot through the floor and wall then seal both.

 

Then remove/block off the existing to stop water ingress.

 

https://stanleyjohn.com/products/telescopic-air-vents-accessories/

 

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by Dave Jones

[markc]

Never understood people concreting up against external walls. Also looks like the on Crete slopes down towards the door - this will be forcing water to drain down the face of the wall under The door area.

you can free up the air brick by cutting away a strip of concrete in front of it and even adding a low power bathroom type fan to keep air moving.

[sb88]

On 30/11/2021 at 09:07, markc said:

Never understood people concreting up against external walls. Also looks like the on Crete slopes down towards the door - this will be forcing water to drain down the face of the wall under The door area.

you can free up the air brick by cutting away a strip of concrete in front of it and even adding a low power bathroom type fan to keep air moving.

 

Cheers, yes have seen this done with half a bucket fitted round it to stop water flow. But would still worry about it flooding. Any tips?

 

I may add a fan at some point to the hole in the (supporting?) wall in middle of house where bricks are removed for pipes and wires to go between the cellar and the space under the kitchen. But with a good air vent at back the flow would probably be decent as house is 10ft above road level and it's windy!

[sb88]

Yes, have thought about these - so would have it fitted one or two brick courses above current one, so bottom enters wall below floorboard level and top is 6 inches or so above ground level? Who am I asking to fit this - builder?