Heating duct to attic?

[John91]

It's about my 40-yr old 2-storey house in midwest Canada. After taking off part of basement ceiling, I found something weird with a heating duct. It runs up from basement to main floor along an exterior wall (built into the fiberglass insulation), and maybe further up to the second floor, and to attic??? I'm sure no heating vent in the house uses this duct. I just can't figure out where is goes. It sends hot air to attic to do heating? possible for an old house?

please help solve the mystery. Thanks.

[buffalobill]

cold air return. fresh air supply for combustion. laundry chute. wire chase. radon vent. ?

[John91]

[JoeSpareBedroom]

You said "to attic???" That's a question only you can answer. Have you gone up in the attic to take a look?

Separate question: On the 2nd floor, where are the heat vents? Floor? Wall? Ceiling?

[DerbyDad03]

You said "and maybe further up to the second floor, and to attic???"

If you don't know where it ends, that would be the first thing find out. No sense in wondering if and/or why it "sends hot air to attic to do heating" if you aren't even sure if it extends that far. It could be something as simple as a 1st or 2nd floor duct that was taken out of service during a remodel.

Maybe you could try running a piece of stiff material, like romex or something, up the duct to see it was capped off or even left open. I think you'd feel a difference if the duct is open and the romex hit either insulation or open air. Once you feel the difference, mark the romex, pull it out and measure it to see where the duct ends.

[John61]

good question. From the manhole, I treid to look at that direction and find something with a flahslight. but hard to see as there's pretty thick insulation. Don't want to crawl in there, I'm very sensitive to the fiber.

If it runs on the 2nd floor, must still be the rectangle shape duct, inside the exterior wall. The hot air duct in basement changes to the rectangle when turning up into the wall at the basement header.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Everybody is sensitive to fiberglass, except macho liars who claim they aren't. Put on a long sleeve shirt with rubber bands around the sleeves. Put rubber bands around the ankles of your pants. Put on a breather mask, hat and gloves. When you're done looking around, head straight for the washing machine and wash the clothing with cold water.

However, check out DerbyDad's suggestion first - probing with stiff wire from various locations.

That doesn't answer my question. Someplace on the 2nd floor, heat comes out of holes. Where are those holes? Floor? Walls? Ceiling?

[John61]

will find a romex and do it as advised.

I want to take the duct in the basement out if it's out of service. just afraid it could be "necessary" heating to attic or somewhere. if not, it must be abandoned by a previous owner.

thanks.

You said "and maybe further up to the second floor, and to attic???"

If you don't know where it ends, that would be the first thing find out. No sense in wondering if and/or why it "sends hot air to attic to do heating" if you aren't even sure if it extends that far. It could be something as simple as a 1st or 2nd floor duct that was taken out of service during a remodel.

Maybe you could try running a piece of stiff material, like romex or something, up the duct to see it was capped off or even left open. I think you'd feel a difference if the duct is open and the romex hit either insulation or open air. Once you feel the difference, mark the romex, pull it out and measure it to see where the duct ends.

[Paul Oman]

probably there to help prevents ice dams from forming on the edge of the roof during winter!

paul oman

[DerbyDad03]

How would a single duct help prevent ice dams?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

How would a single duct help prevent ice dams?

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I'm pretty sure he was kidding. I hope he was.