How To Replace An Air Brick

Good ventilation is essential in all buildings, not only to remove unwanted odours, but more importantly to prevent the build up of warm moist air that can lead to condensation, mould growth and rotting of timbers.

Damp is one of the most dangerous enemies in any building but can be overcome by sealing the building to keep the water out.  Pockets of moisture laden air are inevitably created inside the building as a result of cooking, running hot taps and even the inhabitants breathing.

If the moisture becomes trapped mould will flourish and rot will take hold, possibly wrecking the structural timbers in the long term.  The most vulnerable parts of the building are the void below the suspended timber ground floor area.

Under-floor ventilation such as airbricks must be fitted at 1.8m intervals around the bottom and above the sub-floor 150 mm ground level.

Tools required for fitting an airbrick

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  • A bolster
  • A club hammer
  • Protective goggles
  • Protective gloves
  • Bricklayers trowel
  • Pointing trowel
  • Drill fitted with a masonry bit
  • Bucket of water
  • Something to mix your mortar

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How to fit an airbrick

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  • Drill out as much of the mortar as possible using a bolster to remove the mortar around the brick
  • Remove brick
  • Replace with an airbrick
  • Mortar the airbrick flush with the wall
  • Repoint the airbrick
  • Job finished!

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Remember, if an airbrick becomes blocked or broken it should be fixed immediately. An airbrick only costs a few pounds to replace and compared to the cost of replacing the floor joists it would be madness not to fix this potential timebomb.

Next Steps

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  • If you get stuck or you need a helping hand, and you live within 30 minutes from Cambridge then please call me on: number here or my mobile: number here or you can email me here: handyman@davidattlesey.com You’ll find my prices are very reasonable and I’ll be happy to help you out wherever I can!

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About David Attlesey

David Attlesey The Cambridge HandyMan-No job too small. Handyman service in Cambridgeshire. Reliable & highly experienced. Decorating, gardening, repairs, furniture assembly, plumbing, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, new installations, and much more. David is a professionally trained tradesman, ready to undertake handyman jobs in Cambridge and around Cambridgeshire. Connect with David on Google+

By David

David Attlesey The Cambridge HandyMan-No job too small. Handyman service in Cambridgeshire. Reliable & highly experienced. Decorating, gardening, repairs, furniture assembly, plumbing, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, new installations, and much more. David is a professionally trained tradesman, ready to undertake handyman jobs in Cambridge and around Cambridgeshire. Connect with David on Google+

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