[ebnub]

Its in my utility room with the furnace, gas water heater, washer/dryer, etc. It goes up into the ceiling and across my home and leads to an exterior vent on the opposite side of the house. Its has a constant flow of exterior air coming from it and I'm fairly certain its the cause of my chilly basement. I have a radon mitigation system in place so that probably helps to draw air through this pipe as well. I'd really like to close it off but a friend has mentioned it probably is to provide fresh air for furnace combustion however my furnace and home are only 11 years old and I thought one of the two PVC pipes off the furnace was for the fresh air.

 

[hvactech126]

It is for combustion.......though it should not have the 180 degrees of elbows on it.... Is your dryer gas?(combustion) Is your water heater gas (combustion)?

 

[ebnub]

Dryer is electric, water heater is gas. So plugging it or covering it with a towel may be a bad idea then?

 

[hvactech126]

unless the appliances have been changed since the house was built then it was put there for a reason.

 

[ebnub]

Well, that's not really what I want to hear. :wink:

Any suggestions to help with the amount of flow or temperature without sacrificing its purpose? It really does move at a good rate...

 

[SeniorSitizen]

Reduce it down to about 2 square inches and your gas water heater will be just fine.

 

[beenthere]

It is for combustion.......though it should not have the 180 degrees of elbows on it.... Is your dryer gas?(combustion) Is your water heater gas (combustion)?

Thats a J hook, its to help prevent excess air from coming in when the furnace isn't running.

Of course if the clothes drier is running, then air will come in through it.

 

[Hardway]

Take a look at this link.

http://www.skuttle.com/aircontrols.html

 

[Marty S.]

A fresh air duct going from outside into the return duct and adding a supply in that room would help. The only reason that pipe in the picture has a lot of flow is because the home and/or the utility room are in a negative pressure. Eliminate the negative pressure and there will be almost no cold air dumping out of it.

 

[HVAC1000]

you can extend that pipe down and end it in a 5 gallon bucket (the kind you get at home depot) about 6 inches from the bottom of the bucket. this will make a cold air trap and the cold air will only come out when it is being drawn by and appliance

 

[beenthere]

you can extend that pipe down and end it in a 5 gallon bucket (the kind you get at home depot) about 6 inches from the bottom of the bucket. this will make a cold air trap and the cold air will only come out when it is being drawn by and appliance

Thats what the j hook is for. The Op has something causing a negative draft in that room. So the cold air would be coming out of the bucket too.

 

[HVAC1000]

Thats what the j hook is for. The Op has something causing a negative draft in that room. So the cold air would be coming out of the bucket too.

Opps! Your right. I didn't see it the first time I looked at the picture, these phone screens are getting too small haha