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Is a door louver needed for an in-floor heated boiler closet

C

Cinci-hal

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Joined
Oct 15, 2020
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Location
Cincinnati
Just like the title suggests, I am wondering if the International Residential Code (or Residential Code of Ohio) states anything about needing a louver door for a closet that has a boiler that provides in-floor heating. This is for a remodeling project of a residence that currently has a small boiler placed in what was once a shower (about 3'x3') which still has the shower door on it that is partly open at the top. In the remodeling, I want to show a new regular interior door in its place. Should that new door be a louver door? I don't want to tell the homeowners that it is required if it is not. However, if it is not required but still a good idea to have a louver door, I want to honestly say why. This project does not require any other mechanical work so a mechanical contractor is not going to be involved in the project, otherwise I would consult that person.
 
What does the manufacturer's sprecs say about combustion air?

What does the former shower open to? Still a bathroom?
 
I will have to check if I can find data on the existing boiler / floor heating system. I did not record that data when I initially visited the site. The existing shower / boiler closet opens up to a toilet room which is being expanded into a full Bath. The Full Bath will have an exhaust fan that will be vented to the exterior.
 
Cinci-hal said:
Just like the title suggests, I am wondering if the International Residential Code (or Residential Code of Ohio) states anything about needing a louver door for a closet that has a boiler that provides in-floor heating. This is for a remodeling project of a residence that currently has a small boiler placed in what was once a shower (about 3'x3') which still has the shower door on it that is partly open at the top. In the remodeling, I want to show a new regular interior door in its place. Should that new door be a louver door? I don't want to tell the homeowners that it is required if it is not. However, if it is not required but still a good idea to have a louver door, I want to honestly say why. This project does not require any other mechanical work so a mechanical contractor is not going to be involved in the project, otherwise I would consult that person.
Click to expand...

The existing shower / boiler closet opens up to a toilet room which is being expanded into a full Bath. The Full Bath will have an exhaust fan that will be vented to the exterior.
Click to expand...

I view the exhaust fan as potentially hurting rather than helping.

A full bathroom will presumably have a door, and probably not a louvered door. There's no way to predict whether that door will be mostly left open, or mostly kept closed. The fuel-fired boiler needs a consistent, reliable source of combustion air. If that air comes from the bathroom, odds favor the EXHAUST fan running when the door to the bathroom is closed. Which means the exhaust fan will be exhausting the very air needed for combustion.

IMHO, you need to provide a duct or other means of delivering combustion air to the boiler. I wouldn't worry about what was done before. The concern before you is the changes being made by the proposal in front of you.
 
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