Description
Vents are a common area of complaint when it comes to draughts and cold air leaks. But, air vents are there to ensure your appliances perform efficiently and correctly. Vents ensure fuel consuming appliances get enough oxygen and ensure toxic carbon monoxide is produced through incomplete combustion. So, air vents are pretty necessary when you’ve got fuel burning or a fire lit. But what about every other hour of the day? Howling gales don’t stop just because the fire’s off.
That’s where the DR21 comes in! Invented by David Gattie, a very experienced stove fitter this nifty vent cap slows the rate of airflow while still allowing appliances sufficient oxygenation to prevent poor performance.
The DR21 acts as a like for like swap – you fit it onto the outside wall in place of the existing vent. There’s no fancy mechanism or any moving parts that could get damaged. Just an incredibly clever design that causes the air to move in a zig zag pattern, slowing the rate of air flow down when the demand for oxygen is low, instantly reducing those terribly cold air leaks.
One of the best parts about this air vent cover is that if you do decide to light your stove, air is pulled through at a faster rate – in fact it’s pulled through at the exact rate to meet the demands of the appliance – meaning everything works just as it should.
How does the DR21 vent cover work?
A standard vent (also known as a louvered vent) allows cold air to blow straight through the wall. Fitting a DR21 disrupts this airflow, but not in a negative way. The DR21 vent cover prevents the air from blowing straight in, instead it travels through a zig zag system which significantly slows the airflow rate. However, if you light a fire or fuel burning appliance the rate of airflow increases to meet the demand of the appliance.
In brief this is caused by the mechanism of combustion. Fuel only burns when given a heat source in oxygen. So, as fuel is burned, oxygen in the area surrounding the fuel source is ”used up” by the mechanism of combustion, this then needs to be replaced. The reaction then pulls more oxygen into the area to replace the ”used up” oxygen – when this ocurrs in appliances, air is pulled in via the vent to do this. So, the rate of airflow in through the vent will automatically meet the demands for the appliance, regardless of the vent style.
For more information take a look at this demonstration video.
Is the DR21 vent cap safe?
Absolutely yes!
The DR21 air vent cover has pending patent and has been independently tested by BRE, has HETAS approval and is produced to ISO 9001:2015 standards. It is made of high quality thermoplastic and has been designed by a stove fitting expert. It is also entirely manufactured and produced in the UK following strict manufacturing guidelines. You can be rest assured you’re receiving one of the safest and most effective air vent covers on the market.
How do you fit the DR21 air vent cover?
If you’ve already got a standard vent fitted – there’s already a hole drilled through the wall for airflow. This makes things really easy.
You’ll need:
- A drill
- Some adhesive
- Your DR21 kit
- Some screws
- Potentially a screwdriver
You just have to do the following:
- Remove the standard louvered vent – you may need to unscrew some screws to do this, or break the sealant seal depending on how it has been fitted.
- Using your drill, drill some corresponding holes into the wall for the backplate of the DR21 to be fitted.
- Fit the backplate of the DR21 onto the wall using the screws.
- Pop in some adhesive and fix in the top plate
Take a look at this informative video for more information: video
Your DR21 vent cap also comes with comprehensive fitting instructions, we have these available for online viewing here: DR21 Fitting Instructions
If you’re about to have a wood burning stove or other appliance fitted then it’s very likely the installer will need to drill a hole through the wall behind the stove to ensure the product has sufficient ventilation. In this case simply provide them with the DR21 and request that they fit this instead of a louvered vent, they will be able to do this for you no problem!
Vent caps work best in conjunction with other draught exclusion measures to keep your home warm and comfortable. Take a look at our other draught excluders range to get an idea of some more cost effective ways to keep your home efficient and cosy, as well as reduce those rising energy bills.
