ABOUT VENTS and FANS

Which vent problem do you have?

Not all vents are created equal. Some are useful, some are definitely not. Some are great in summer and disastrous in winter (looking at you evap cooling!!). Some are retired but still hanging around like they are waiting for a farewell morning tea.

Before you seal anything, identify the vent type first - because the right fix depends on whether the vent is active, decommissioned, decorative, draughty, or doing something important for safety or ventilation.

The golden rules

Your house will be warmer in winter, cooler in summer, cheaper to run and safe when the RIGHT leaks are sealed.

NEVER DRAUGHT PROOF A HOME THAT STILL BURNS GAS.

Carbon Monoxide emitted when gas is burnt. Carbon Monoxide is odourless, invisible, tasteless... and deadly.

Do not seal everything that looks like a hole. Seal the draughts that are wasting comfort. Leave the ventilation that is needed for safety, structure or working appliances.
Before draught proofing, your home ventilated itself by leaking air all day and night. Once those gaps are sealed, you are in control of where and when fresh air comes in. Active ventilation may not be something we are used to doing, but it is an important habit to build.

Wall vents

The problem

Old internal wall vents can be neat-looking holes in the wall. In older homes, they were often installed because homes had open fires, gas heaters and very different ventilation needs.

But if the room no longer needs that vent for safety or ventilation, it may just be letting your warm air out in winter and hot air in during summer. A decorative draught is still a draught.

Signs this is your problem

you can feel cold air near the wall vent
dust collects around the grille
the room is hard to heat or cool
the vent is internal and no longer needed
the home has moved away from open-flame or gas heating

What to do

Seal internal wall vents only, and only when it is safe. Do not seal external vents, subfloor vents or anything that may be required for gas appliances or building ventilation. For fixed internal wall vents, use UltraClear to seal the gaps while keeping the vent looking neat. UltraClear applies white, so you can see what you are doing, then dries clear. Always clean your wall vents thoroughly first. Very handy.

DIY guide

How to Draught Proof Wall Vents

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UltraClear Invisible Sealant
Gap Fillers Kit, if you have lots of gaps around vents, trim and skirting boards

Exhaust fan vents and 3-in-1 heat / light / fans

The problem

Exhaust fans are supposed to remove air when they are switched on. The problem is that many of them (all of them???) keep leaking air when they are off. Bathroom, toilet, laundry and kitchen exhaust fans can behave like open holes in the ceiling. In winter, warm air can escape into the roof space. In summer, hot roof-space air pushes back down into your home.

Signs this is your problem

the room feels colder near the fan
you can feel, and see, air movement around the exhaust fan
the bathroom cools down quickly
roof-space smells, dust or insects appear
the fan is an older open grille style
you have a 3-in-1 bathroom fan with heat lamps, light and exhaust fan

What to do

For a standard exhaust fan, fit a Draft Stoppa above the fan. It opens when the fan is running and closes when it is off, so the fan can still do its job without acting like a 24/7 ceiling hole. For a 3-in-1 fan, you may need a 3-in-1 Adapter Plate fitted first, so the Draft Stoppa can be fitted properly over the top.

Important: with 3-in-1 units, the fan must operate correctly when the heat lamps are on. If rewiring is required, use a licensed electrician.

DIY guide

How to Draught Proof Exhaust Fans and 3-in-1 Fans

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Draft Stoppa
3-in-1 Adapter Plate

Floor vents that are still in use

The problem

Where gas ducted heating is in use, the floor vents are still connected to an active ducting system. These are different from decommissioned vents. If the system is still in use, do not permanently seal the vent shut. But floor vents still in use can still leak around the edges, rattle, sit badly, or let air move where it should not when the system is off.

Signs this is your problem

the floor vent is part of a working heating or cooling system
the grille is loose, rattly or badly fitted
there are visible gaps around the vent frame
cold air comes from around the vent, not just through the vent
dust or subfloor smells appear around the grille

What to do

If the vent is still active, keep the airflow path open. But seal the gaps around the vent frame if air is leaking between the grille and the floor. Use UltraClear for small gaps around the frame or trim. Do not fill the duct or block the airflow.

Do not use the Goodbye Heating Vents kit on active vents.

If you want to close off rooms or change airflow in an active ducted system, speak with a heating and cooling professional so you do not create pressure, performance or condensation problems.

DIY guide

Floor Heat Vents - How to Dominate Draughts

How to Seal Around Active Floor Vents

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UltraClear Invisible Sealant
Gap Fillers Kit, if you have lots of gaps around vents, trim and skirting boards

Decommissioned floor vents

The problem

You have removed the old ducted gas heating. Excellent. But now you have a new problem: a floor full of old heating vents. And most people immediately think:

“Great. Now I have to repair the floor.”

That can mean matching old carpet, timber floorboards, engineered flooring, slate, tiles or whatever flooring decision someone made three owners ago. Which is often expensive, annoying, and not as easy as it sounds.

The good news is that you may not need to repair the floor at all. If the floor grille / vent is still in place, the Goodbye Heating Vents method lets you seal the old decommissioned vent from underneath the grille, while leaving the visible floor finish alone.

No carpet matching, no timber patching and no need to find tiles from 1998.
You will not have to pretend that the “close enough” floorboards are not going to annoy you every.single.day.

Signs this is your problem

the old ducted heating system has been removed or disconnected
the floor vents no longer deliver heated air
cold air comes up through the vent, along with that awful, awful smell!
the vent is now just a hole with a grille on top
rodents have popped up to say hello - and they brought the whole gang

What to do

Use the Goodbye Heating Vents method to permanently seal decommissioned floor vents. This usually involves removing the grille, fitting the insulation and board insulation, sealing the edges, then replacing the vent so the floor still looks finished.

This is only for vents from a heating system that is no longer in use. If the system is still active, do not use this method.

DIY guide

Goodbye Heating Vents: How to Seal Decommissioned Floor Vents

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Goodbye Heating Vents Kit
Individual spare parts, if you need extras

Ceiling vents

The problem

Ceiling vents can be confusing because they are not all the same. Some are exhaust fans. Some are ducted heating or cooling outlets. Some are evaporative cooling vents. Some are old, disconnected vents that should have been dealt with years ago but have been quietly pretending not to exist. The fix depends entirely on what the ceiling vent does.

Signs this is your problem

air leaks through a ceiling grille when the system is off
the vent connects to a ducted heating or cooling system
the vent is from an old system that is no longer used
the ceiling grille is loose or poorly fitted
hot roof-space air seems to come through in summer
the room loses warmth quickly in winter

What to do

First, identify the vent. If it is an exhaust fan, use the exhaust fan pathway above.

If it is part of an active ducted heating, cooling or evaporative cooling system, do not permanently seal it shut. The system may need airflow to work properly. If the vent is decommissioned, disconnected or no longer used, it may be suitable for sealing - but the right method depends on what is above the ceiling and whether the ductwork has been removed. Seal around loose trims or small edge gaps with UltraClear.

For anything connected to a working mechanical system, get advice before blocking the airflow.

DIY guide

If we had one, it would be called How to Deal with Draughty Ceiling Vents - but we don’t have one - yet.

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UltraClear Invisible Sealant for small gaps around grilles
Find and Fix My Draughts, if you are not sure what the ceiling vent is doing

Not sure which vent you have?

That is normal - vents are sneaky because they all look like “a grille”, but they can do completely different jobs.

Before you buy anything, ask:

Is this vent internal or external?
Is it connected to an active heating, cooling or exhaust system?
Is there a gas appliance, fireplace or combustion appliance in the room?
Is the vent needed for safety or building ventilation?
Am I sealing air leakage around the vent, or trying to block the vent completely?

If you are still unsure, start with the video course Find and Fix My Draughts. Maurice, our Technical Director, will help you work through the house and stop blaming the wrong hole.

Quick chooser

If this is your problem	DIY Guide	Shop
Bathroom, toilet, laundry or kitchen exhaust fan	Exhaust fan	Draft Stoppa
3-in-1 bathroom fan	3-in-1 fan	Draft Stoppa + 3-in-1 Adapter Plate
Old internal wall vent	Wall vent	UltraClear
Active floor vent with gaps around the frame	Active floor vent	UltraClear
Old disconnected floor heating vent	Decommissioned Heating Vents	Goodbye Heating Vents Kit
Active ceiling ducted vent	No guide yet	Check before sealing
Decommissioned ceiling vent	No guide yet	Method depends on vent

Recommended next steps

If you know the vent type
Choose the matching DIY guide above, then buy the recommended product.

If you do not know the vent type
Start with Find and Fix My Draughts.

If the room has gas or open-flame appliances
Get professional advice before sealing anything.

If you are working through your whole home
Go back to the Draught Proofing Information Hub and work through the biggest draughts first: chimneys, exhaust fans, wall vents, doors, windows and gaps.

Related resources

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