Can Anyone Tell Me What This Is On My Attic Furnace?

[Shags]

I've never seen anything like this before so maybe someone could help me out. I moved into a new house a few months back and since its cooled down we've started using heat. However, the house stays chilly and doesn't seem to ever stay warm for long. My most recent bill shows a massive amount of gas being used.

Today I entered my attic and it was stifling compared to the chill of the rest of my home. This is hooked up to the furnace and seems to be directing atleast 75% of the heat into my attic.

Anyone know what this is?

 

[41mag]

Wtf ? Looks like it is pushing the heat into the attic (obvious,I know) via this door…. For some reason.
Figure out how to block it open to where it directs heat to the house.
(conspiracy theory: gas company wants more money ??!! Lol)

 

[WallsGa]

OttoMan

 

[roydamnmercer]

It looks like a spare duct with a dampener on it…is there duct work to every room? For instance, is there a room missing ductwork leading to it like a bonus room or something? You can run the hvac and go room to room with a lighter and make sure air is pushing in from the vent.

 

[Ken Ford]

Looks like you may have an option to use your fan as a whole house vent for spring and fall when you don’t really use heat or AC.
But turn it off and see what happens.

 

[JDUB]

This is a constant pressure monitoring damper. It is used to relieve excess pressure in the system if your ceiling registers are closed. It is absolutely not necessary and you should put a screw in front of where it opens to not have it actuate.

 

[JDUB]

https://www.supplyhouse.com/Honeywell-Home-CPRD10-10-TrueZONE-Bypass-Damper?utm_source=google_ad&utm_medium=search_sku&utm_campaign=SKU_API_HVAC_Other&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiIuPw6_Z-wIVhWpvBB20PgCREAAYASAAEgIn3fD_BwE

 

[wozeyjales]

Turn it off and see what happens.

Isn't that the same advice they tried in Ghostbusters?

Doesn't make sense to me to direct heat to attic
since hotter air will rize anyway. A new house would
seemily have proper insulation. Our house built in '70s
had BIG reduction in A/C and heating cost after having
more insulation pumped into the attic.

 

[Rougarou]

Is it only 1 system and 2 thermostats? Looks like a static bypass damper for a zoned system that's a zone board mounted to the roof brace, the damper should have ductwork from the damper to the return side near the filter.

 

[Cadcom]

It's like a bleeder valve for a turbo. Keeps all the zones in your house around the same pressure so it's not blasting in one area (and hot) while its cold and no pressure farther away from the unit.