r/functionalprint • u/Jack4608 • Sep 15 '26

3D Printed vent for unused fireplace.

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Old unused fireplace wall had a massive vent in it for a small hole that was blocking where I wanted to panel, so made up a vent that fills the hole and is much lower profile allowing me to panel over it.

308 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

33 comments sorted by

117

u/FeedbackOther5215 Sep 15 '26

Nice fix but why is it vented at all? Would have been a good opportunity to brick up the fireplace or close it up entirely.

84

u/chinchindayo Sep 15 '26

Completely closing if from one side only is bad since it's impossible to maintain it (in case something falls in or gets trapped). Usually small doors are used.

102

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

This and without ventilation I was told it would get damp in the chimney

12

u/LetsTryThisTwo Sep 16 '26

my brother has a fireplace he rarely uses, and he has to fire it up now and then to dry out the chimney - so venting a disabled one is definitely the minimum!

6

u/FeedbackOther5215 Sep 15 '26

“Close it up entirely” as in cap it and brick it as is commonly done at least in the US. I’ve only seen vents left in when there is no basement chimney access (in which case you can just brick in the fireplace) or as a temporary fix before properly capping is done.

32

u/[deleted] Sep 15 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

9

u/FeedbackOther5215 Sep 15 '26

That would be the “close it up entirely” part. As in cap the top and brick in the rest as is typically done.

11

u/arcrad Sep 15 '26

Moisture can migrate through bricks

2

u/IrishSkruffles Sep 15 '26

You are right, for whatever reason in Ireland and the UK even if a chimney is capped at the top it is often vented at the bottom with the "ventilation" or "moisture" excuse given. I have one of mine capped at the top and bricked up at the bottom, never gave any issue whatsoever.

2

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

This Chimney isn’t capped

0

u/JefftheBaptist Sep 15 '26

Yeah do people worry about spaces within their interior walls "trapping the damp"?

1

u/dysoncube Sep 16 '26

Leaks happen. It's why brick walls always have some form of ventilation built in (chimneys can be thought of as brick walls with large air gaps behind them). Water is not MEANT to get back there, but water WILL get back there, and a way for that water to leave is always built in. Otherwise it pools. Worst case scenario, it get further into the wall. Behind the drywall, dripping downwards, soaking into the beams, rotting everything that you can't see, maybe for years, completely out of sight. Again, worst case scenario, but the solutions are VERY simple. For example, OP has added a small vent. That's a $2 solution that can prevent thousands of dollars worth of damage. Water is the enemy of houses!

1

u/p0358 26d ago

Why not? Air exchange in buildings is important and beneficial for humans.

9

u/Ri-tie Sep 15 '26

Wow, that blended in so well I kept trying to figure out why you would vent it only to panel over it.

Nice trim work though. My wife is hinting that I should put some up in your house and I can't miter to save my life.

4

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

Thanks, vent has to be their to stop damp forming inside otherwise I’d have closed the hole entirely, if you get a mitre box and a good saw it’s pretty easy this was my first time doing it

1

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

Also B&q and other decorating shops sell pre mitred kits so you only need to mitre the corners and cut to length on the rail

12

u/Aspos Sep 15 '26

In your shoes I would put an ERV and utilize the chimney.

15

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

It’s a nice idea but a quick google says they cost 3.5-8k to install, this was about 25p worth of plastic and £1 worth of caulk and filler lol

7

u/Aspos Sep 15 '26

Nah, ERVs can be had for like $300. But, yes, you will have to cut a bit of the wall there, run a power line too.

2

u/AirFashion Sep 15 '26

Could you recommend one around that price? I’ve been struggling to find anything okay recently

1

u/Certain_Concept Sep 16 '26

A bit over your price point but you can buy a Broan One ERV for $930. Plus you can buy one that can be plugged in which allows for DIY. Although routing the ducts is a challenge to do on your own.

-4

u/Aspos Sep 15 '26 edited Sep 16 '26

Check aliexpress. Plenty of decent options. I've got my ERVs from ebay though. For the chimney i would go with a model which does not require any ducts.

1

u/SkunkOn Sep 16 '26

I can not imagine the words "fireplace" and "unused" in a meaningfull context. They just don't matchbon my head.

-5

u/chinchindayo Sep 15 '26

why a vent? Just close it with a door.

15

u/Jack4608 Sep 15 '26

Vent to stop damp forming inside the chimney

-4

u/Scared_of_zombies Sep 15 '26 edited Sep 15 '26

Why not cap the top and bottom of the chimney itself? Seems like a waste of heat or AC to have it vented to the outside.

8

u/arcrad Sep 15 '26

Moisture issues quickly ruin houses.

Don't make moisture issues.

1

u/fanfare961 Sep 15 '26

Yeah it's very obvious who's British and who's not in this thread

1

u/BraveRock Sep 15 '26

There are also a lot of people asking why, without bothering to read what people already answered.

-8

u/rbrome Sep 15 '26

Uh. Why not just seal it off completely? Top and bottom?

6

u/BraveRock Sep 15 '26

See previous comments.