Airbricks and vents

[GMM]

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:

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:

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

Thanks G

[dennis]

> This is fine, but it'll be necessary to stack two together and put

> This would seem a lot simpler to do, so does anyone have any thoughts

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

[nightjar]

> This is fine, but it'll be necessary to stack two together and put

> This would seem a lot simpler to do, so does anyone have any thoughts

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

[GMM]

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.

[nightjar]

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

[Frank Erskine]

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.

[The Medway Handyman]

I'm with Frank.

[nightjar]

I'm with Ettore Bugatti

Colin Bignell

[GMM]

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....

[Andrew Gabriel]

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.

[dicegeorge]

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]

[boltmail]

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.

[Tanner-'op]

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

[nightjar]

That is how I see it.

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

[nightjar]

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

[Phil L]

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.