Boiler room remote exits.

[Tim Mailloux]

section 1006.2.2.1 of the 2015 IBC requires two remote exits when a boiler room is over 500sf and any fuel-fired equipment exceeds 400,000BTU's. My question is with regards to the 400,000BTU threshold. Doe this come into play when any single piece of fuel fire equipment exceeds the threshold, or is it the sum of the BTU output for all fuel fired equipment in the room?

Chapter 5, section 509, table 509 has another 400,000BTU threshold for fire ratings but the table is very clear that it only applies if any single piece of equipment exceeds the threshold.

1006.2.2.1 Boiler, incinerator and furnace rooms.
Two exit access doorways are required in boiler, incinerator and furnace rooms where the area is over 500
square feet (46 m2) and any fuel-fired equipment exceeds 400,000 British thermal units (Btu) (422 000KJ) input capacity. Where two exit access doorways are required, one is permitted to be a fixed ladder or an alternating tread device. Exit access doorways shall be separated by a horizontal distance equal to one-half the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the room.

 

[classicT]

Single unit only, not a summation.

 

[classicT]

Do note that 1006.2.2.1 builds upon Table 509, where it is noted that a "Furnace room where any piece of equipment is over 400,000 Btu per hour input" is required to have 1-hr fire separation or AFSS protection.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Single unit only, not a summation.

Thanks, thats what I was thinking but the language is not as clear as section 509.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Do note that 1006.2.2.1 builds upon Table 509, where it is noted that a "Furnace room where any piece of equipment is over 400,000 Btu per hour input" is required to have 1-hr fire separation or AFSS protection.

We are fully sprinklered, so not rating is required. But the room will be full height 8" thick CMU.

 

[classicT]

Thanks, thats what I was thinking but the language is not as clear as section 509.

I'd say that the clarity lies in the language of "...any fuel-fired equipment exceeds 400,000 British thermal units (Btu) (422 000KJ) input capacity." Note that it does not say total and equipment is singular in context because of the word 'any'.

 

[steveray]

I'd agree, no real clarity in commentary either...

 

[Tim Mailloux]

I'd agree, no real clarity in commentary either...

No it doesn't, that was the first place I looked.

it doesn't matter anyway, just heard back from my engineer and I am WAY over the threshold with a single piece of equipment or summation.....and I mean WAY over!