They're too high for underfloor ventilation, so would have been fitted for some other purpose. I have 2 in what would probably have been a larder originally, which I filled with insulation and covered with a plastic vent internally. Maybe there used to be an unvented boiler in your kitchen?

Thank you Sarah L

Apparently there was a boiler in the attic but who knows what was there before that. I wondered about venting the kitchen's cooking heat and steam and maybe clothes dryer. I don't know and don't have the expletive to tell.

I would like to insulate and block. I just don't want to cause some other problem if I do that. I have a feeling I may need to remove the kitchen cabinet to do it though.

Getting a new kitchen is on the radar but not for a year or so.

Sarah us right- there was probably a boiler there at some point. I would block the holes up- it can be done from outside without removing the kitchen (although when you later replace the kitchen you will likely tidy up the inside part of the hole). It is important to have ventilation in a house to avoid condensation- this is especially true if there are lots of you living in the house (which means more showers, more cooking, more towels on radiators etc). Instead of these air bricks people tend to have mechanical extractors in kitchens and bathrooms- you could go even further and have an automated system of ventilation- try an online search for MVHR. Its a moisture controlled system that keeps warm air in the house but extracts damp or stale air- these systems cost from £700 to several thousands depending on how big your house is and the way it can be installed.

Thank you Jonathan.

The MVHR is interesting. I have a friend that runs dehumidifiers constantly,24/7. Not really for mould prevention but for heating dry air and his own breathing issues. I will pass that on.

I'll also look at it for us too.

Good news for the bathroom. The window needs its hinges and lock replaced. This means it has become a trickle vent window and let's condensation out!

For now, it seems blocking those vents is the thing to do. I tried to pull the grills out but they are not moving.

So I guess some of that expanding foam?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/soudal-genius-insulation-foam-hand-held-750ml/25943

?

Expanding foam is an unattractive option so you will probably only consider that a temporary fix. Longer term you need a bricky or general builder to take those two air bricks out and replace with solid brickwork. It’s a quick job for someone who knows what they are doing so shouldn’t cost the earth.

Thank you very much.

Appreciate the advice.

I've got 2 of those vents on the outside of my kitchen wall. My house was built in 1972 and I'd suggest your house was built at about that time because those pink paving slabs were only in fashion for a very short period of time! There has never been a boiler located in my kitchen so I think they just over-ventilated kitchens in those days. Several of my neighbours have blocked theirs up either with expanding foam or having them bricked up, with no adverse effects.

Thank you,

I think I will do the same. I will end up with them bricked up.

I have used the foam today. I will start calling for someone to do the brick work. Found it hard to get someone to come for window hinge replacement. But like a bad fishing day, a lot of nibbles and bites but caught nothing :-)

When we had cavity wall insulation installed they fitted a vent in the living room about 1 foot above the ground. The draught that came through was awful! We stuck an old t shirt in it and that stopped the draught immediately. Several years down the line all good and no mould or condensation. We also have air bricks on the outside walls which I was told was to keep the joists and floorboards dry.

How's the t-shirt going? Saves in laundry bills 😁

Thanks Sonia.

I cannot get to the internal side of the vents. The kitchen cabinet is in the way. I am contacting bricklayers now. As Jonathan mentioned above - the expanding foam is not a good look. I also cannot tell if it blocked the whole hole or if there are gaps.

Hopefully I can find a bricklayer that will come and do it. I had trouble getting someone to help with windows.

T shirt is fine haha! It does the job!

Hi Nigel i know its been two years since you posted this but i hope you get this message that im posting now. that air brick has nothing to do with your appliances. i am an ex surveyor and i use to issue EPC’S, we are living in a world today where we are told to insulate our property's to save energy by reducing heat loss. Air bricks have been around a long time, even King charles 1 back in 1630’s made it law to ventalate propertys to get rid of foul air that was making people sick. im at the process of making a video of a friend who is virtually dying from the lack of ventalation thats causing brown mould in her flat, the mould is growing from high humidity and not from damp, the brown mould is everywhere and the mould expert has condemmed her property. don’t be affraid of cold fresh air its good for you, when i was a child in the late 60’s we only had open fires that was only used during the winter. but our clothes were wormer back then as they were made with 100% cotton and wool. by blocking the vents increases toxins, do you want to breathe in air that you breathed out yesterday!