Can you seal wall vents in a 1920s house?

[tstaylor]

Hello

I am after some suggestions to seal permanently several wall vents, similar to the one in the photo, for energy efficiency reasons.

I live in a 1920s house that has a large number of wall vents that are either letting cold air in during winter or out during summer

Thank you

[EricL]

Hello @tstaylor 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about closing your wall vents.

I suggest having a quick look at this discussion - Would sealed air vents on old concrete house cause mould? by @Jamie091. In older homes the vents serve a purpose and that is to keep the temperature balanced and to allow humidity to escape. Closing these vents could cause humidity build up inside the house.
 

However, if you are still keen in covering the vents, I suggest using a piece of timber such as plywood and cutting it to the shape of the vent. You can then screw it to the vent and use silicone to seal the edges to prevent any air from passing through. You can then paint it the same colour as your walls.

Here is a link to our best advice: Can you block the air vents in an old brick house?

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric