return air proximity to gas appliance?

[Jim McClendon]

What does code say about distance of return air to gas appliance (fireplace)?

[Jim Luttrall]

IRC 2003 M1602.2 (Return Air)
Prohibited Sources. Outside or return air for a forced air heating or cooling system shall not be taken from the following locations:
1. Closer than 10 feet from an appliance vent outlet...
2. Where there is a presence of flammable vapors or where located less than 10 feet above the surface of any abutting public way or driveway...
3. A room or space, the volume of which is less than 25 percent of the entire volume served by duct system...
4. A closet, bathroom, toilet room, kitchen, garage, mechanical room, furnace room or other dwelling unit.
5. A room or space containing a fuel burning appliance where such room or space serves as the sole source of return air.
Exceptions:
1. Direct vent...
2.The room or space complies with the following requirements:
2.1. The return air shall be taken from a room or space having a volume exceeding 1 cubic foot for each 10 Btu/h of combined input rating of all fuel burning appliances therein.
2.2. The volume of supply air is discharged back into the same space shall be approximately equal to the volume of return air taken from the space.
2.3. Return air inlets shall not be located within 10 feet of any appliance firebox or draft hood in the same room or space.

3. Rooms or spaced containing solid fuel burning appliances, provided that return air inlets are located not less than 10 feet from the firebox.

[Jerry Peck]

IRC 2003 M1602.2 (Return Air)
Prohibited Sources. Outside or return air for a forced air heating or cooling system shall not be taken from the following locations:

5. ... where such room or space serves as the sole source of return air.


Just making sure the "which serves as the sole source" is noted.