Furnace and heater located in bedroom

Originally Posted By: dgertgen
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Hello I have a quick one (I think). I was instructed that the furnace and water heater are not to be located in the bedroom or bath. A realtor is disagreeing with me. They are not sealed combustion but there is a cold air intake for them.


Am I right or wrong?

Thanks

Dennis Gertgen


Originally Posted By: jwilliams4
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Check with your AHJ…I’ve seen this sort of thing around


Cincinnati suburbs over the past 40-some years. I checked

local preferences and some said NO!! while others said O.K.

It was difficult to explain why I couldn't do it in this house,

but could in the cousins' house in the next town.


--
"not just an inspection, but an education"

Originally Posted By: jwilliams4
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FORTY YEARS!!! …would you believe I was 4 years old when


I started in the HAVC business??







Would you believe 10 yeas old???







Come on, somebody say you believe it!!!


--
"not just an inspection, but an education"

Originally Posted By: jeffghooper
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Not allowed.


G2406.1 (303.1) General. Appliances shall be located as required
by this section, specific requirements elsewhere in
this code and the conditions of the equipment and appliance
listing.
G2406.2 (303.3) Prohibited locations. Appliances shall not
be located in, or obtain combustion air from, any of the following
rooms or spaces:
1. Sleeping rooms.
2. Bathrooms.


2003 IRC


--
Jeff G. Hooper
(hooperette want a be) nachiBFD

Originally Posted By: jtroth
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I would have safety concerns, especially with locations in the bedroom. Also if the air intake for the furnance is in the bath then I can see humid air from showers being circulated around the house more than that being vented to the outside. Excessive moisture is beneficial to mold.



Habitation Investigation LLC


Providing Home Inspections in Ohio


http://www.homeinspectionsinohio.com

Originally Posted By: dandersen
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What is the age of construction?


Originally Posted By: mtimpani
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i believe it



Thank you, MarkTimpani


www.pridepropertyinspections.com

Originally Posted By: jwilliams4
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Mark–thanks, but I fooled you–I was 27 when I got into HVAC.


JeffGH--shouldn't be so definite with "not allowed". Codes are merely

guidelines and local jurisdiction can say otherwise. Some of the

things that have been allowed around here in the past will amaze

you. Occupancy has been issued to houses with HVAC return air

ducts from the bathroom and the kitchen. I asked the city inspector

why and his answer--"looks allright to me!" I've seen some weird

plumbing approved and some very dangerous gas pipe. Nothing

I could do do but shake my head a run for safety.


--
"not just an inspection, but an education"

Originally Posted By: whandley
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If any building official advises you that the installation of a gas fired water heater and or forced air heating unit is acceptable in a bedroom and or sleeping area, ask for the specific code he is basing that decision on. UBC & UMC would disagree. I encountered an installation a few years ago with a hall closet mounted FAU which also had a double sided closet entry off the back side into an adjacent bedroom. The seller ended up installing a fixed wall system at the closet between the FAU and bedroom. They first argued and then consulted the city of Laguna Beach, a local HVAC Contractor and the Gas Company. All three agreed that the installation was in violation of code and unsafe for multiple reasons, including but not limited to fire safety issues, combustion air issues and of course the possibility of carbon monoxide/products of combustion being released into the sleeping area. If the real estate agent is going to over ride your safety concerns, ask them to put it in writing on their company letterhead, dated and signed with copy provided to your client prior to close of escrow. icon_idea.gif


Originally Posted By: Steven Brewster
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Came across this the other day.


The gas water heater was installed in the bath across from the water closet (about 1-2 feet). Bath was approx. 8' x10', window is painted shut and there was not a vent in the bath door. Bathroom is adjacent to bedroom. After firing the heater up for a few minutes there was good draft but I got dizzy. Wrote it up! Talking about a hot seat! Wow!


[ Image: http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/P/P1010511.JPG ]


Originally Posted By: jwilliams4
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I agree that various codes state that furnaces should not be in


bedrooms, but if you put it in the report that it is a violation and

the local building inspector doen't care what the book says...

On any such issues I check with the AHJ before making any statements

that they might disagree with.

Inspected a two-year-old house, found an issue with the roof.

House was still under warranty so buyer

checked with the builder. Builder said AHJ approved it. Buyer

went to township officials who had no idea what was right or wrong--

township said the builder is the "expert" and that whatever the

builder said was all right with the township.

I revised my report accordingly--VERY accordingly...


--
"not just an inspection, but an education"

Originally Posted By: dgertgen
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The house was built in 1950. But the basement was finished much more recently.


I feel it is our responsibility to inform the client about the problem and tell them why regardless of the year of the home. Even if it was acceptable in the past we must tell them about the dangers now. It is not up to us to tell anybody to fix the problem, that is for the buyer to decide if they want it fixed, will have it fixed for leave it as is.

Thanks for all your help

Dennis


Originally Posted By: bkelly2
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Steven Brewster wrote:
Came across this the other day.

The gas water heater was installed in the bath across from the water closet (about 1-2 feet). Bath was approx. 8' x10', window is painted shut and there was not a vent in the bath door. Bathroom is adjacent to bedroom. After firing the heater up for a few minutes there was good draft but I got dizzy. Wrote it up! Talking about a hot seat! Wow!


[ Image: http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/P/P1010511.JPG ]


How about the TPR piping?


--
"I used to be disgusted, Now I try to Be amused"-Elvis Costello

Originally Posted By: bkelly2
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http://www.codecheck.com/pg19_20mechanical.html#waterheater


Don't fall for that "Grandfathered" stuff. Write it up as against common safety standards/practices and let the chips fall where they may. Knob & Tube, AL wiring, asbestos, etc were all common building practices.


--
"I used to be disgusted, Now I try to Be amused"-Elvis Costello

Originally Posted By: bkelly2
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jwilliams4 wrote:
FORTY YEARS!!!!! ...would you believe I was 4 years old when

I started in the HAVC business??







Would you believe 10 yeas old???






Come on, somebody say you believe it!!!
I Believe Jae, but I've been drinking. ![icon_smile.gif](upload://b6iczyK1ETUUqRUc4PAkX83GF2O.gif)


--
"I used to be disgusted, Now I try to Be amused"-Elvis Costello

Originally Posted By: Steven Brewster
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Brian,


TPR pipe not sized correctly but did drain to exterior. The heater was not installed in a pan either.[/quote]


Originally Posted By: tschwalbe
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What about a electric water heater in a bed room closet? Jeff Hooper did your responce apply only to gas fired appliances?


Originally Posted By: jeffghooper
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Only, fuel fired appliances such as gas, not electric. Some fuel fired, direct vent, derive all air from exterior in a sealed system, are permitted.


DO NOT change your reports as suggested as if anything happens, you could be liable.

If the LAHJ wants to OK something that falls below the Mininum allowed Code, make them put it in writting, they work for you, not the other way around. Then when something happens, their soverign imunity will not protect them.

Building Codes are NOT recommendations, they ARE the minimum allowed requirement. Anything less is an Illegal structure on premises and a potential safety hazard. EVERYTHING that is contained in teh codes is there because;

1. Someone was hurt.
2. Someone died.
3. Property was damaged.

Only a very foolish AHJ would put something in writting as OK if it did not meet the minimum code. I do not get my direction from them, and I do not suggest you do, UNLESS, they want to cover you later if a suit occurs.

This item has been in the codes since the 1970's. ALL of the codes.


--
Jeff G. Hooper
(hooperette want a be) nachiBFD

Originally Posted By: tschwalbe
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Thanks Jeff for clearing that up that is the way I had understood it but the way you wrote your post made it look like no water heater in the bed room