Gas Funcae in attic space behind bedroom closet

[Jeff Zehnder]

Just found (in a new home) a furnace in an attic space that is accessed through a door inside a bedroom closet. The door has no closer, is this required?
Mechanical code?

[Lon Henderson]

No closer required on the attic access. Gravity is adequate.

[Jerry Peck]

Depends - if the attic is a vented attic, no closer required, however, the wall (and the door) is the thermal envelope of the house, so the door still needs insulation on it and a gasketed seal around it (thermal envelope).

However, if the attic is a sealed attic with insulation sprayed on the underside of the roof decking, then IRC G2406.2 Prohibited locations. 5. would kick in and the door would not only need to be weather-sealed (to seal the two areas from each other, not for thermal envelope), but the door would also need to be self-closing.

[Jeff Zehnder]

Depends - if the attic is a vented attic, no closer required, however, the wall (and the door) is the thermal envelope of the house, so the door still needs insulation on it and a gasketed seal around it (thermal envelope).

However, if the attic is a sealed attic with insulation sprayed on the underside of the roof decking, then IRC G2406.2 Prohibited locations. 5. would kick in and the door would not only need to be weather-sealed (to seal the two areas from each other, not for thermal envelope), but the door would also need to be self-closing.

Thanks Jerry

[Stuart Brooks]

Just found (in a new home) a furnace in an attic space that is accessed through a door inside a bedroom closet. The door has no closer, is this required?
Mechanical code?

Unless things have changed in NC the past couple of years, you are not allowed to mention the word, code, unless you include a history of the code in question. I think that pertained to the NC code and some got around that by referencing the IRC or IBC.

[Jerry Peck]

Unless things have changed in NC the past couple of years, you are not allowed to mention the word, code, unless you include a history of the code in question. I think that pertained to the NC code and some got around that by referencing the IRC or IBC.

How about if you said to the effect of "according to stated adopted construction standards" - that should be easy to figure out what you are referring to without stating what you are referring to - and then maybe even quoted the wording, but not a section number - after all, the contractor/etc should KNOW what the "code" requires and KNOW what section number it is. :biggrin: