Vent from utility room up to attic...!?

[duplexowner]

I have a utility room that houses my gas furnace, gas water heater, washer, and dryer. The wall behind the water heater has a 8x16 vent in the wall that leads back into the frame and comes straight out the top. It is extended past the frame by a metal box so it comes out past the insulation. What is this vent for? fresh air intake? I thought it was weird about trying to airtight your home for efficiency but then this vent just seems to mess that right up.

I'm also installing an attic vent, won't all the cool air in my house get sucked up this vent? Should I make my utility room air tight?

Thanks,
Eric

[Jay11J]

That vent is there to provide air make up that is lost from the home when the dryer, furnace, water heater, and exhaust fan in the home.

This won't be much lost in your home.. What they are doing is to avoid having the air being drawn though the windows, cracks in the living area.

[Ed Imeduc]

Like said you cant close that vent there as it could be to code there. With the door shut see if it pulls air from the home . lots of codes call for 1 sq " per 1000K btu for make up air. That small utility room you might turn the drier on and see if it sucks air back down it with the door closed also.

ED ;)