Heatilator? Safety Glass or Not?

[Rick Hurst]

Master tub with fireplace appliance next to it. Anyone know if the glass panels are safety glass or not and wouldn't it need to be in this type of situation?

Light fixture is outta here for sure.

Rick

[Jerry Peck]

Master tub with fireplace appliance next to it. Anyone know if the glass panels are safety glass or not and wouldn't it need to be in this type of situation?

Light fixture is outta here for sure.

Rick


Rick,

That's just dumb.

Is that acrylic tub rated for that heat?

Is that fireplace rated for that acrylic tub (combustible material) to be there (you would need to look at the installation instructions to know)? I am, of course, presuming that is a gas fireplace. If not gas, there would need to be a hearth extension, and some gas even require a hearth extension.

However, regarding the glass, yes, those fireplace doors would need to be safety glass. Are they? Where they marked? If not marked, the answer is 'No, they are not safety glazing as required by the code.'. (Safety glass or not, if not marked, they are not 'as required by the code'.)

Plus, is the fireplace rated to be used adjacent to a tub (creating an almost outdoor like moisture environment)?

[Ron Bibler]

What wack job put the steps in like that?

Best

Ron

[Rick Hurst]

Good point about the acrylic tub!:o

You know sometimes when you see things as such you get caught up looking at something as I was the glass panel and the fireplace glass that I never thought of the acrylic tub.

{Kicking Rick in the arse at the moment} Duh, that what I get for working both Sat. and Sunday without a break. The man above is punishing me.

Thank you Jerry.

Rick

[Richard Moore]

Rick, not sure exactly which model you have there but I found the following that seems to be common in the install manuals for all Heatilator see-through gas fireplace...



B. Tempered Glass Specifications

Hearth & Home Technologies appliances manufactured
with tempered glass may be installed in hazardous locations
such as bathtub enclosures as defined by the Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The tempered
glass has been tested and certified to the requirements
of ANSI Z97.1 and CPSC 16 CFR 1202 (Safety Glazing
Certification Council SGCC# 1595 and 1597. Architectural
Testing, Inc. Reports 02-31919.01 and 02-31917.01).

This statement is in compliance with CPSC 16 CFR Section
1201.5 “Certification and labeling requirements”
which refers to 15 U.S. Code (USC) 2063 stating “…Such
certificate shall accompany the product or shall otherwise
be furnished to any distributor or retailer to whom the
product is delivered.”

Some local building codes require the use of tempered
glass with permanent marking in such locations. Glass
meeting this requirement is available from the factory.
Please contact your dealer or distributor to order.

.





That would suggest they are tempered glass but I can't find anything that definitively says they are.


On the clearance to the tub, the units are listed as 0" clearance to combustible floors and combustible flooring. But...it also states that nothing should be directly in front for 36". Not sure how you would judge the tub lip. It might be interesting to turn the fireplace on for half an hour or so and use an IR thermometer on that lip. Then check with the tub manufacturer?

[Rick Hurst]

Fritz,

That would be the first thought, but no where on the glass is any indication of it being tempered or not.

rick

[RANDY NICHOLAS]

I've seen several of those "heat-a-lators".
Electric heater that resemble a fireplace. Not gas.
Most are located in the wall between the bedroom and master bathroom.
The ones I saw are "switched" near the entry door.
Still, not near a bathtub, It just is not safe!!

[Brandon Whitmore]

I never even thought of looking. What do they use on woodstoves?

I damaged my stove's door glass a while back while trying to force the door shut. I was told that it was ceramic. I know that it was not tempered, because the glass shop cuts it to fit.

[Jerry Peck]

That would suggest they are tempered glass but I can't find anything that definitively says they are.


Richard,

That says "Hearth & Home Technologies appliances manufactured
with tempered glass", which, to me, indicates that tempered glass doors are "available", but not "standard", and, to make your choices even greater, it also says "Some local building codes require the use of tempered glass with permanent marking in such locations. Glass meeting this requirement is available from the factory. Please contact your dealer or distributor to order."

They have the nerve to make you order, and probably CHARGE you, so THEIR product can meet code.

If I were the AHJ, I would tell the distributor 'No go, not until those doors are *marked as required* in the code.' ... why put that cost off onto the consumer? Besides, as the AHJ, you are inspecting the structure, without regard to who owns or made what part of it - either it complies or it does not.

[Richard Moore]

I agree it's ambiguous. My guess, my assumption, is that it is unmarked tempered glass as plain glass would be nuts and ceramic is more expensive. But, it sure would be nice if it clearly stated that somewhere (on-line or on the darn glass).

When in doubt, try the horse's mouth. I've shot off a query to Heatilator asking what the standard glass actually is in these units. I'll let you know when they reply.

[Inspector 3500]

How far above the tub is the light fixture?

[Randy Yates]

You all are posting some good information, but has anyone given any thought as to what will happen to the glass if the unit has a flame going in it and the glass heats up and someone decides to splash some water on the glass? Safety glass or not, things can happen.
Randy

[Jerry Peck]

You all are posting some good information, but has anyone given any thought as to what will happen to the glass if the unit has a flame going in it and the glass heats up and someone decides to splash some water on the glass? Safety glass or not, things can happen.
Randy

Yes, from a post above.


Plus, is the fireplace rated to be used adjacent to a tub (creating an almost outdoor like moisture environment)?

Outdoor environments are subject to getting rain, or other water, on them during use.

However, I did not specifically point that out, and it is good that you did.

[Richard Moore]

E-mail to Heatilator...



Question: Hi. We are having a discussion on a Home Inspection forum regarding the usage of your see-thru gas fireplaces near a tub and whether the glass is tempered or not as there are no clear markings. It makes sense that the glass has to be either tempered or ceramic, not "plain" glass but I can't find any specs on-line that actually say it is. I
found the following in your on-line manuals, "Some local building codes
require the use of tempered glass with permanent marking in such locations. Glass meeting this requirement is available from the factory.
Please contact your dealer or distributor to order." That's a little
ambiguous and some are taking that paragraph to mean that ALL tempered glass has to be ordered, whereas others are reading it
as just ones WITH the markings need to be ordered. Anyway... could you
settle this "argument" by letting me know what is the standard glass in
these units? Thanks


The reply...



The kind of glass that is used in a unit is determined right from the factory. It is determined by the BTU's of the unit. We use either tempered or ceramic.


Sorry, that's not more helpful. Someone else try, I gotta work.