Combustion air

[sspradling]

I've got a question for the HVAC guys.
In the attached garage is a small utility closet containing the gas furnace and gas water heater. There are two galvanized ducts in this room, one a foot or so from the ceiling, one a foot or so from the floor. They both terminate in the attic space. This is for combustion air, right?
Now, there is also a hole cut through the closet wall, into the kitchen, a foot or so from the ceiling, and another one a foot or so from the floor. What do you suppose the homeowner (or installer) was trying to accomplish? I've never seen anything like this before. Defect or not?
Thanks in advance.
Stu.

[dchew]

The setup for the two galvanized ducts is right.

What may have happen is that there has been some remodeling and rearranging of equipment in the past. The waer heater and or furnace may have originally been in what is now the kitchen.

Regardless, I would write up the 2nd set of openings as potential safety hazards and recommend that they be properly blanked off.

I'd recommend that you look up the various ways combustion air can be provided for in Code Check.

[jschulte]

Maybe the galv ducts were undersized, so they added holes for additional combustion air.

The closet is on the house side of the firewall, right?

[sspradling]

Thanks, guys.
Dwight, no remodeling. The house is only 5 years old. I see the galvanize pipe arrangement frequently. What is the safety hazard? Wouldn't this be almost the same as having the units in a closet in an interior hall closet?
Jeff, yes the closet is on the house side. The galvanized was ok as far as size goes.
Stu.

[dchew]

One possible hazard would be a direct path for natural gas leaks into the house.

Another would depend on the arrangement of the HVAC system. With openings like you described, the ducting system is no longer a closed loop system. The air handler will create a slight vacuum from the garage and into the house.