finding louvre vents

You can see the fun(?) that "metrication" causes. Why can't we stick to our English dimensions?

And thats before you get into the "are they talking about overall dimensions or aperture dimension. Two lourve vents in B&Q both claim to be 9" x 6" but are different sizes and shapes!

The message from Chris Bacon contains these words:

The one B&Q had?

Sorry, I didnt really give enough detail.

The vents are either side of our open fireplace. We dont use the fire that often, so would like to be able to close the vents to prevent drafts...

Don't apologise, it's just Chris B being a pedantic little...

MBQ

How are you going to guarantee that the vents are open when you do use the fire?

Fires are such a rare and joyous occasion, it could be made part of the procedure I have to go through to satisfy the missus that I'm not about the burn the house down.

On a different note, I am a bit fuzzy on the need for them. My mother in law has a gas fire and there are no vents in her lounge, and the house was built in 1997, so I'd have thought that any such laws would be in effect by then. The only thing I can think of is that her staircase comes directly into the lounge and so the lounge can't be "sealed" by closing any door.

Our lounge has 2 windows (with 2 little vents at the top, per window), French doors (with another 4 vents) and the lounge is open (there is a door, but it is *never* shut) to the rest of a fairly open plan ground floor (with another 4 windows, all with vents).

I guess the vents are to let air in to replace the air that is rapidly shoved up the chimney when there is a fire. On that basis, I'd have thought that the sum total of the draftyness downstairs would be enough...

As with all safety matters, I'll not do anything until I understand the situation as fully as possible

Cheers Chris

The message from "Chris Styles" contains these words:

Perhaps it was a balanced flue fire - draws air from outside and exhausts there too.

Could also be a non-obvious vent. Mine is vented from the sub-floor space, the vent being behind a decorative grille on the fire, so you can't see it unless you take this off. Also means it doesn't draw cold air in across the room.