Second furnace in garage with register?

[gliebig (Gregory A. Liebig, CMI)]

I’m working on a report now that had a second furnace installed to heat an addition. The furnace was installed in the garage on the slab as it would be in a basement. It was heating a master bedroom suite that was an addition above the garage. There was an output register located in the garage.

Normally, when the heating system is located in the dwelling with a register into the garage that is a no-no. This is one of those DLR’s (Doesn’t Look Right). It was installed in 2006 at the time the addition was put on.

[rnewland (Robert Newland, JR.)]

Greg, I would write it up. Also recommend sealing voids in ceiling around ducts/ pipes. Hard to tell in picture, but I think a crash barrier is also needed to protect the HVAC equipment from vehicles.

[rspermo (Robert J. Spermo, TREC # 4726)]

Is the “register” a supply air or for return air?

[gliebig (Gregory A. Liebig, CMI)]

Supply side. The cold air plenum is facing the camera.

[rnewland (Robert Newland, JR.)]

Is the “register” a supply air or for return air?

Neither, supply/return vent (duct opening), should be permitted.

[gliebig (Gregory A. Liebig, CMI)]

Neither, supply/return vent (duct opening), should be permitted.

source, please?

[sstanczyk (Stephen Stanczyk, WA License #221)]

No duct openings into garage. 2009 IRC 302.5.2

Buy yourself a Code Check complete. It took all of 30 seconds to find the answer.

[jmckee (James McKee)]

any more pictures of that truck ?

[cevans (Chuck Evans, CMI TREC 7657)]

Besides being unsafe and not permitted via the IRC (as has been pointed out), it has a terrible detrimental affect on the thermal efficiency of the house. That unit is pulling all return air from within the dwelling and pumping a portion of the supply air outside of the thermal envelope. This places the house under negative pressure. This would be a great house to do infrared thermography for air leakage in because it has a built-in unregulated blower door.

Also, shouldn’t that thing be protected from vehicle impact by a bollard or other barrier?

[gliebig (Gregory A. Liebig, CMI)]

any more pictures of that truck ?

Sorry, no. Chevy blazer showing its age

[gliebig (Gregory A. Liebig, CMI)]

Besides being unsafe and not permitted via the IRC (as has inspector inted out), it has a terrible detrimental affect on the thermal efficiency of the house. That unit is pulling all return air from within the dwelling and pumping a portion of the supply air outside of the thermal envelope. This places the house under negative pressure. This would be a great house to do infrared thermography for air leakage in because it has a built-in unregulated blower door.

Also, shouldn’t that thing be protected from vehicle impact by a bollard or other barrier?

Good points. These observations are why Realtors are anxious when I’m the hired inspector. Also why we’ve been voted the best home inspection company in our county in the last 2 years. We’re not code inspectors.So I write things like this as Safety issues.