Anybody know what this is?

[wdfifteen]

This thing was on the side of my house. It was in the perfect spot for me to put in the sill cock we were planning for so I took it off. Behind it was a 2" diameter hole in the brick facing.




It's about 8" by 10"





It has a 1 1/2" hole in the back.



It has this long slit in the bottom.



It was screwed to the wall over this 2" hole.

It was permanently attached so I don't think it was a seasonal insulation cover for a sill cock. Plus it is so filled with insulation that there wouldn't be room for one. It looks like some kind of fresh air vent - in or out, I don't know - for a small appliance of some sort.

[MRM]

It looks like a bathroom vent. The plastic cover is designed to let vapor escape but prevent rainwater to enter.

What is directly below the penetration in the masonry wall? Is there a water heater or bathroom? It should not be a furnace vent.

If you use that penetration as the opening for the sillcock you’ll block whatever it is supposed to be venting.

[sammyg2]

Dryer vent?

[dad911]

Does (or did) your house have central vac by chance?

[wdfifteen]

I should have included that it opens into the furnace room. Whatever it vented was piped to it through a 1 1/2 inch pipe, I assume from someplace other than the furnace room.
MRM - there is an electric water heater in the room.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

Does (or did) your house have central vac by chance?

I don't think so, but that is an intriguing possibility. Thanks.

[MRM]

Then I think it is a dryer vent. An electric water heater doesn’t need a vent and a high efficiency furnace vent would be extended father out from the wall.

[black73]

Possibly combustion air for furnace.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by black73

Possibly combustion air for furnace.

That’s my guess, too. Also, the dryer vents I’ve seen are much larger diameter.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

That’s my guess, too. Also, the dryer vents I’ve seen are much larger diameter.

A 2" dryer vent does seem small, but someone mentioned a mini combo washer/dryer. It's possible there would have been one here, but I don't know what their venting requirements might be.

[drkshdw]

Is your furnace room self contained or closed off? If so, it looks like someone added a roof vent to allow fresh air to come into the room.

Could also be a vent for an ultra-efficient furnace to take outside air to mix with inside air. Something to do with it being easier or more efficient to heat outside cold air than inside temperate air. But that's a relatively new-ish thing.

[tcar]

Originally Posted by MRM

Then I think it is a dryer vent. An electric water heater doesn’t need a vent and a high efficiency furnace vent would be extended father out from the wall.

A 1.5" dryer vent????? Not a chance. They are 4"

[A930Rocket]

No stamps or details on the cover?

Does the mortar used to seal the pipe match the brick mortar? If yes, when was the house built?

A drain wouldn’t have a cover like that. It was protecting something.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Radon relief vent

[Geoz1]

Originally Posted by black73

Possibly combustion air for furnace.

That is correct.


It needs to be re-installed as found. Now he knows how thick that wall is.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I should have included that it opens into the furnace room. Whatever it vented was piped to it through a 1 1/2 inch pipe, I assume from someplace other than the furnace room.
MRM - there is an electric water heater in the room.

I'd say it it's not a vent but an air supply. Does the furnace room hve a solid or slat door?

[cabmandone]

I'm on board with the central vac intake idea. I would think you'd know for sure though if you had a central vac at some point because unless someone did an extremely thorough job of removing it, you'd have plugs in the wall for connecting the vacuum tube and you'd probably have pipes that just come through the floor and terminate in the basement.. Central vac still seems like the most logical though.

For those asking about the furnace, you wouldn't terminate a furnace intake like that, or at least you shouldn't if you like your furnace to keep operating when it's cold outside.

[piscator]

Entrance to the mouse disco? ;-)

[cstreit]

New furnaces require fresh air inlet.. Could have been one of those too...

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

I'd say it it's not a vent but an air supply. Does the furnace room hve a solid or slat door?

The furnace room opens into the garage. Its a big space. Anyway, it's a brand new furnace with piped in combustion air. The first furnace in the house (built in 1971) would have needed combustion air, but it's only a 2" hole. That's not much air.