High Rise 1982 Construction Dryer Vent & Kitchen Hood Sharing Same exhaust stack

[jar546]

It was recently uncovered that during a kitchen stove vent replacement that is was filled with dryer lint. It is believed that there is a cross connection either by accident or by design between the kitchen stack & dryer vent stack, which may be one single stack being used for both. Certainly a violation of today's mechanical code IMC 504.10 but the real question is whether this was covered under an old NFPA standard when the building was constructed. The stack is all drywall with no pipe whatsoever as required by today's standards.

How would your jurisdiction handle this if this was an official complaint brought to you by a contractor? This can be a serious fire hazard.

Thoughts?

 

[BN4537]

It was recently uncovered that during a kitchen stove vent replacement that is was filled with dryer lint. It is believed that there is a cross connection either by accident or by design between the kitchen stack & dryer vent stack, which may be one single stack being used for both. Certainly a violation of today's mechanical code IMC 504.10 but the real question is whether this was covered under an old NFPA standard when the building was constructed. The stack is all drywall with no pipe whatsoever as required by today's standards.

How would your jurisdiction handle this if this was an official complaint brought to you by a contractor? This can be a serious fire hazard.

Thoughts?

Is this a commercial hood for a hotel, or a normal residential hood for an apartment?

 

[TheCommish]

what did the building code require in 1982

 

[jar546]

Is this a commercial hood for a hotel, or a normal residential hood for an apartment?

condo unit. A flame from a grease fire in a condo does the same as a grease fire in a commercial kitchen except there is no ansul system.

 

[steveray]

[A] 116.1 Unsafe conditions. Structures or existing equipment
that are or hereafter become unsafe, insanitary or
deficient because of inadequate means of egress facilities,
inadequate light and ventilation, or that constitute a fire
hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to human life or the
public welfare, or that involve illegal or improper occupancy
or inadequate maintenance, shall be deemed an unsafe
condition.

I wouldn't do it lightly....But I might do it...

 

[Plumb-bob]

I would pursue having this corrected through what means available. Not familiar with American codes...but it may save a life.

 

[klarenbeek]

Dug out the old 1982 UMC from our library. There were no provisions for common shafting of domestic clothes dryers. Ducts were required to meet the dryer manufacturer's instructions and to be exhausted to the outside if in an area that was habitable. Nothing specific about combining with other exhaust systems, but I'm guessing no domestic dryer manufacturer ever covers common venting in a shaft or allows it to be connected to other types of systems.

The I-codes didn't allow it until 2009.

I'm with Steveray on probably considering this an unsafe condition. Dryer exhaust can be a fire hazard even when installed correctly

 

[ICE]

It is a dangerous condition that’s complicated by the fact that you’re dealing with however many units there are and a HOA. Dryer vents are a particular concern …. adding cooking vapors to lint makes it worse. That must make for a nasty mess as well.

Perhaps the Fire Department will get on board. An argument that might be presented for ignoring the situation is that the condition has existed for a long time with no problems. Tell that to the victims of the condo collapse.

 

[jar546]

NFPA 211 covers this. NFPA 1 covers existing maintenance and points to NFPA 211