what is the opening

[Peter Louis]

1st vent opening on the soffit above family room window; the 2nd pic shows 2 vents beside deck also on the family room wall. I can not clarify the usage of the 1st and 2nd picture upper vent. What I can imagine is fresh air intake for furnace in basement but it is really far away. please have a look.

Thank you

[Robert Jones]

The two on the side of the home look like utility fan covers. Is there a basement bathroom? Did the kitchen have a ducted vent above the range? I can't get a good gauge of the first pic.

[Randy Aldering]

What type of duct work was visible? What ducted appliances were present?

[Peter Louis]

What type of duct work was visible? What ducted appliances were present?


None visible. That is why?

[Rick Cantrell]

I have seen bath vents that vented like that.

[Peter Louis]

I have seen bath vents that vented like that.

but inside are family rooms only. the bath far away from here; There is basement but not necessarily to open the vents that high, isn't it?

[Dom D'Agostino]

I have seen bath vents that vented like that.

I have too, in almost the same spot between the ceiling & floor.

I've seen those vents routed "quite a ways" to reach the exterior, even if it exceeds allowable lengths.

Dom.

[H.G. Watson, Sr.]

Regarding 2nd & 3rd picture, those above and below operable window adjacent to picture window, and no mention of laundry facilities nor kitchen facilities (I note the reference to family roomS - in the plural, so I presume there are more than one dwelling unit contained or perhaps a "garden" level in-law suite below the deck/balcony:

Locate the laundry areas including a suspected clothes dryer location on the second floor...basement apartment...or the "first" floor.

Is there an enclosed (as to space - such as located in a "closet") fuel burning water heater?

The area to the left...and/or above & below, and even towards the interior is/are there kitchen area(s)? ventops/microhoods, downdraft cooktops or ranges?

[Peter Louis]

Regarding 2nd & 3rd picture, those above and below operable window adjacent to picture window, and no mention of laundry facilities nor kitchen facilities (I note the reference to family roomS - in the plural, so I presume there are more than one dwelling unit contained or perhaps a "garden" level in-law suite below the deck/balcony:

Locate the laundry areas including a suspected clothes dryer location on the second floor...basement apartment...or the "first" floor.

Is there an enclosed (as to space - such as located in a "closet") fuel burning water heater?

The area to the left...and/or above & below, and even towards the interior is/are there kitchen area(s)? ventops/microhoods, downdraft cooktops or ranges?

Sorry, Family roomS mean both soffit opening pic1 and 2 openings on the wall right adjacent to the family rooms on different houses. Right, Pic 2, 3 house has a basement laundry right under family room. the lower opening could be dryer vent. there is no reason to vent any basement appliances from the top opening. Both houses have the kitchen right left to the family room. But both range hoods on the other side wall perpendicular to the wall in the pics. Therefore, I thought if the top opening and soffit opening are the combustible air inlets and the ducts go insde of the floor joists, it may be a good practice to warm up fresh air:D . I do not believe the stucture needs openings to get rid of moisture. These 2 houses are located in the notorious grow-op but high end family oriented place although I did not see anything else suspicious. Who knows.......

[John Kogel]

They can be just passive vents. I find a lot of those in closets and such. You will see a whole variety of vent outlets on the exteriors. Inside, they look like small flying saucers on the walls or ceilings.
The houses are built really tight, and they are locked up most of the time. Nobody leaves a window open, are you crazy? So the vents are there to let a bit of fresh air circulate. This is especially important for the first 6 months when most of the offgassing is going on. Sometimes people will stuff them with insulation.

[Peter Louis]

They can be just passive vents. I find a lot of those in closets and such. You will see a whole variety of vent outlets on the exteriors. Inside, they look like small flying saucers on the walls or ceilings.
The houses are built really tight, and they are locked up most of the time. Nobody leaves a window open, are you crazy? So the vents are there to let a bit of fresh air circulate. This is especially important for the first 6 months when most of the outgassing is going on. Sometimes people will stuff them with insulation.

Yes John, normally see it in Condo but not very often in detached, especially a good practice for gas burner applied.

[Raymond Wand]

Could be an exterior radio/stereo speaker.