Heat vent blocked - legal?

[I_Syed]

Hello,

I live in Ontario and wondering if the contractor complied with legal requirements. The cabinet in the bathroom and the kitchen are both located over heat vents. We know because both cabinets are warm.
The one in the bathroom has a grill that exits into the cabinet instead of outside the cabinet. Please see picture attached. We took off the grill for the picture but you can see the grill is located inside the bathroom cabinet under the sink. Is this legal?

The one in the kitchen is completely blocked and the only way to know there is a vent there is because we could feel it was warm and took off the bottom of the cabinet to see a hole in the ground. Is this legal? Or does a grill at minimum need to be installed to allow the air to exit?

Thank you.

 

[Paul Sweet]

Is this new construction, or were the cabinets added later? I'm not familiar with the Canadian code, but the way it should have been done is to add an elbow and a toe-space grille.

 

[I_Syed]

It is new construction and done at the same time! I do know the solution, but we are renters and cannot make those changes. I’m assuming it might have been a diy by the homeowner. Trying to see if this meets building code and/or dangerous?

 

[SCBO1]

This has been discussed before, search site under: "vent under cabinet missing duct", dated 1/21/22.

 

[tmurray]

Paul has the correct answer. There is nothing directly in the code that prohibits the installation method used, but the system would need to be completely re-reviewed to ensure compliance with CSA F280 without adding the vent extensions.

 

[Inspector Gadget]

Think there's another way to skin this cat. I'd consider this a plenum.
Definition (p. 42, NBC 2015)
"Plenum means a chamber forming part of an air duct system."

9.33.6.2. Materials in Air Duct Systems
1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) to (6) and in Article 3.6.4.3., all ducts, duct connectors, associated fittings and plenums used in air duct systems shall be constructed of steel, aluminum alloy, copper, clay or similar noncombustible material.
2) Ducts, associated fittings and plenums are permitted to contain combustible material provided they
a) conform to the appropriate requirements for Class 1 duct materials in CAN/ULC-S110, “Test for Air Ducts,”
b) conform to Article 3.1.5.18. and Subsection 3.1.9., [note: limits use in buildings required to be non-combustible; part 3 language on fire separations]
c) are not used in vertical runs serving more than 2 storeys, and
d) are not used in air duct systems in which the air temperature may exceed 120°C.


So my approach would be to state to the contractor, "please show the documents certifying that the furniture and enclosing material used as a combustible plenum meets Can/ULC-S110 and provide evidence the air temperature does not exceed 120C, or, alternately, replace with a metal, clay, or similar non-combustible duct."