Mechanical room fire rating?

[JG33]

I have a 2 family building and I'm creating a room for the gas furnace and washer gas dryer. Where do I find the fire rating for that room?

 

[mp25]

to the best of my recollection, if this project is governed by the IRC, no fire rating is required for this room.

 

[cda]

Welcome

 

[fatboy]

Welcome!

No, there is no requirement in the unamended IRC to separate a laundry/mechanical room in a two-family dwelling. If it is in the garage, then only the garage/dwelling separation requirements apply.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Is the room, furnace and washer shared between units?

 

[cda]

How about if there is a bedroom in the basement, which has no walls?

 

[steveray]

Units have to be separated, not mechanicals...I believe you can get to NFPA 30 for oil tanks >660 gallons or distance from tank to burner and the alternative is a FR separation...But not if it is just standard equipment...

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Other than the prohibit of sharing (return air) fumes, I suppose an additional water heater and shut-off valve can be provided for plumbing and a disconnect for electrical service repairs in the laundry/mechanical room with the AHJ approval.

P2801.1 Required. Each dwelling shall have an approved automatic water heater or other type of domestic water-heating system sufficient to supply hot water to plumbing fixtures and appliances intended for bathing, washing or culinary purposes.

P2903.9.1 Service valve. Each dwelling unit shall be provided with an accessible main shutoff valve near the entrance of the water service.

G2442.6 (618.6) Return-air limitation. Return air from one dwelling unit shall not be discharged into another dwelling unit.

E3601.6.2 Service disconnect location.
Each occupant shall have access to the disconnect serving the dwelling unit in which they reside.

 

[cda]

How about if there is a bedroom in the basement, which has no walls?

Any sepeartion required than??

 

[Francis Vineyard]

How about if there is a bedroom in the basement, which has no walls?

Any sepeartion required than??

Bedroom walls are not required in for example efficiency units.

 

[steveray]

Not a rating, but the appliance can't be in the room....Typically...

G2406.2 (303.3) Prohibited locations. Appliances shall not
be located in sleeping rooms, bathrooms, toilet rooms, storage
closets or surgical rooms, or in a space that opens only
into such rooms or spaces, except where the installation complies
with one of the following:

 

[cda]

What he said

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Not a rating, but the appliance can't be in the room....Typically...

G2406.2 (303.3) Prohibited locations. Appliances shall not
be located in sleeping rooms, bathrooms, toilet rooms, storage
closets or surgical rooms, or in a space that opens only
into such rooms or spaces, except where the installation complies
with one of the following:

". . . Typically . . ." as in mischievous

"It is not the intent of this section to prevent combustion air from being taken from a bedroom, bathroom, etc. as evidenced in Items 2, 3, and 4."