Thread: HVAC ducts in garage

Is it correct that ductwork in garages are required to be enclosed in firerated sheetrock? Any comments on this?? Below is a picture of ducts in the garage another inspector said should be called out.

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Originally Posted by Mitchell Chiger

Is it correct that ductwork in garages are required to be enclosed in firerated sheetrock? Any comments on this?? Below is a picture of ducts in the garage another inspector said should be called out.

No, ductwork is not required to be enclosed in firerated drywall.

The ductwork should be either 26 gage metal or "other approved material", and most/many AHJ accept ductboard as "other approved material".

Your photo clearly shows that ...

By the way ... flexible duct does not cut it (unless one installs a fire damper in the wall which will close off the duct opening through the wall.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

No, ductwork is not required to be enclosed in firerated drywall.

Your photo clearly shows that ...
.

OK I give.. How did you see a photo?

Originally Posted by Dan Harris

OK I give.. How did you see a photo?

I imagined it.

Thank you gentlemen

If you are in New Jersey, the ducts in the garage should be insulated (both the supply & the return). Also, there should not be any openings (registers) in the garage.

Yup, make sure duct work is sealed at cleats and penetrations through drywall in garage are sealed.

Originally Posted by Darren Miller

If you are in New Jersey, the ducts in the garage should be insulated (both the supply & the return). Also, there should not be any openings (registers) in the garage.

Supply openings are okay into the garage, just not a return, right?

No openings are allowed in the garage.

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

Supply openings are okay into the garage, just not a return, right?

Originally Posted by Darren Miller

No openings are allowed in the garage.

No openings into the garage from a system which also serves the living space. One can, if they so desire, insulate the garage and install a system for the garage space only with no interconnection to any system serving the living space. This is just to complicate the answer, but sometimes this is done.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

No openings into the garage from a system which also serves the living space. One can, if they so desire, insulate the garage and install a system for the garage space only with no interconnection to any system serving the living space. This is just to complicate the answer, but sometimes this is done.

SO JUST TO CLARIFY, the ducts can be in the garage, no firewall enclosure necessary provided there is no vent in the ducts and that penetrations into and out of the garage are well sealed. Yes?

Originally Posted by Mitchell Chiger

SO JUST TO CLARIFY, the ducts can be in the garage, no firewall enclosure necessary provided there is no vent in the ducts and that penetrations into and out of the garage are well sealed. Yes?

Based on the IRC:
- ducts are allowed in the garage, with limitations on the material used for the construction of the ducts - the specifically approved material is 26 gage sheet metal, other material which is "approved" (meaning acceptable to the building official of the AHJ); 1" minimum thick duct board is also specifically stated as allowed in the Florida Building Code.
- *IF* you were to totally enclose flexible duct in a framed shaft with 1/2" gypsum board enclosing the flexible duct from the air handler to the wall, and everything was connected and sealed up tight ... then I suspect that the AHJ would allow flexible duct ... because it would not really be "in the garage" would it?
- all penetrations through the SEPARATION WALL (drop the term "firewall" as that wall is NOT a "firewall" - in most locations, a "firewall" may actually be required in some areas, but a "firewall" is not required by the IRC) - all penetrations into and through the separation wall need to be caulked and sealed around

Are you 'unconfused'?

In simple terms..... Any HVAC system that is supplying conditioned air to a garage must be independent of any system that is supplying conditioned air to the interior living space of a home.