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Combustion air and venting

retire09

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
Messages
365
Location
Alaska
Back in the old UPC code, a gas range was estimated to be 65,000 BTU and a water heater was 50,000 BTU.

Both burn oxygen and produce CO.

Why did the water heater require combustion air and venting and the range did not?
 
A range is usually located in a room that communicates with the rest of the building and is only operated manually.

A water heater is usually located in areas that do not readily communicate with the rest of the building and they operate automatically without human activity.

My water heater is 199,000 BTU's and is located in a 200 sq ft room. The stove freely communicates with 6,500 sq ft
 
I 2nd mtlogcabin, occupant awareness is a big deal.

mtlogcabin said:
The stove freely communicates with 6,500 sq ft
Dude...6,500 square feet... That's a hell of a cabin!
 
Am I correct in assuming there is no difference in the products of combustion released by these two appliances?

One is no more or less harmful to health than the other?
 
retire09 said:
Am I correct in assuming there is no difference in the products of combustion released by these two appliances?One is no more or less harmful to health than the other?
The products of combustion "if properly setup" for all intent is the same. The three big issues are human interaction, location and amount of use. A furnace or water heater rarely have human interaction, are normally not installed in common communicating areas and are constantly turning on and off. The same applies with a gas dryer, human interaction is involved.
 
Dude...6,500 square feet... That's a hell of a cabin!
The cabin we lived in for 6 years was only 256 sq ft. No water, electric or indoor plumbing. Wood barrel stove for heat.

Did I mention there may have been a few code violations with the cabin.
 
mtlogcabin said:
Did I mention there may have been a few code violations with the cabin.
It's not a real "mt. log cabin" if there's not code violations. :) That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
 
I have a 480sf cabin in Ninilchik, Alaska that does not comply with codes.

The cabin is beautiful and perfect the way it is.

I have been in code inspections, plan review and administration for about 30 years and I do not plan to "correct" any of the code violations at my cabin.
 
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