Shower in Utility room

[Kevin Harris]

I have a client who wants to rent out their basement for Airbnb. The existing half bath will not accommodate a shower. They want to put a shower in the utility room where the gas furnace and gas hot water heater is. It is not possible to separate the shower from the furnace or hot water heater. I'm fairly certain this is not code complaint bc the gas hot water heater and furnace need to be in a separate space from a bathroom or bedroom. Am I correct here?

Thank you.

[Brian Hannigan]

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[tkaiser1]

I have a client who wants to rent out their basement for Airbnb. The existing half bath will not accommodate a shower. They want to put a shower in the utility room where the gas furnace and gas hot water heater is. It is not possible to separate the shower from the furnace or hot water heater. I'm fairly certain this is not code complaint bc the gas hot water heater and furnace need to be in a separate space from a bathroom or bedroom. Am I correct here?

Thank you.

I found this:
From the 2003 IRC:
"M2005.2 Prohibited locations.
Fuel-fired water heaters shall not be installed in a room used as a storage closet. Water heaters located in a bedroom or bathroom shall be installed in a sealed enclosure so that combustion air will not be taken from the living space. Direct-vent water heaters are not required to be installed within an enclosure."
From the 2003 IMC:
"303.3 Prohibited locations.
Fuel-fired appliances shall not be located in, or obtain combustion air from, any of the following rooms or spaces:
1. Sleeping rooms.
2. Bathrooms.
3. Toilet rooms.
4. Storage closets.
5. Surgical rooms.
Exception: This section shall not apply to the following appliances:
1. Direct-vent appliances that obtain all combustion air directly from the outdoors.
2. Solid fuel-fired appliances, provided that the room is not a confined space and the building is not of unusually tight construction.
3. Appliances installed in a dedicated enclosure in which all combustion air is taken directly from the outdoors, in accordance with Section 703. Access to such enclosure shall be through a solid door, weather-stripped in accordance with the exterior door air leakage requirements of the International Energy Conservation Code and equipped with an approved self-closing device."
The concern isn't the water heater itself, but the source for combustion and ventilation air.