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  1. #1
    mathew stouffer's Avatar
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    Default Living space separation from utility room

    What type of separation requirement is needed between living space and utility rooms. This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board. It has the taint of a DIY weekend special.

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    What type of separation requirement is needed between living space and utility rooms. This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board. It has the taint of a DIY weekend special.
    Matthew,

    None, to the best of my knowledge. You can have the utility room in the family room.

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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    I agree with Gunner

    ' correct a wise man and you gain a friend... correct a fool and he'll bloody your nose'.

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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    What type of separation requirement is needed between living space and utility rooms. This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board. It has the taint of a DIY weekend special.
    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar Alquist View Post
    Matthew,

    None, to the best of my knowledge. You can have the utility room in the family room.
    .
    Depends on what is in the Utility Room.
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
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  5. #5
    mathew stouffer's Avatar
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Two gas water heaters, two gas furnaces, 100 btu and 85 btu, distribution panels, fire suppression riser. The works.


  6. #6
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    What type of separation requirement is needed between living space and utility rooms. This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board. It has the taint of a DIY weekend special.
    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    Two gas water heaters, two gas furnaces, 100 btu and 85 btu, distribution panels, fire suppression riser. The works.
    .
    .
    Needs to be a Wall Separation ( not just a piece of panel board.)
    .
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
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  7. #7
    David Bell's Avatar
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    This space could be separated by a louvered door, wall, or nothing at all. If the bedroom is in the basement it has to have a secondary egress or it's not really living space.


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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by David Bell View Post
    .
    This space could be separated by a louvered door, wall, or nothing at all.
    .
    David,

    Please expand this reasoning.

    If it is indeed a bedroom as stated .
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
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  9. #9
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    There are no requirements i am aware of that say mechanicals can not be placed in basement rooms. The only concern I would have with the wood panel was if it did not have the proper clearance from the equipment.


  10. #10
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    What type of separation requirement is needed between living space and utility rooms. This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board. It has the taint of a DIY weekend special.
    Quote Originally Posted by David Bell View Post
    There are no requirements i am aware of that say mechanicals can not be placed in basement rooms. The only concern I would have with the wood panel was if it did not have the proper clearance from the equipment.
    .
    What about rooms used for sleeping ?
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
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  11. #11
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    David,

    It appears I posted before you finished your thoughts evident by your additional comment of "if the bedroom is in the basement it has to have a secondary egress or it's not really a living space."

    And your next post about mechanics being placed in basement rooms---

    I'm not seeing anything about this being in a basement.

    * it very well may be a photo of a basement remodel.

    ** what am I missing?
    .
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    This bedroom closet was separated from the utility room by and very thin piece of panel board.
    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Stephens View Post
    Depends on what is in the Utility Room.
    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    Two gas water heaters, two gas furnaces, 100 btu and 85 btu, distribution panels, fire suppression riser. The works.
    Quote Originally Posted by David Bell View Post
    This space could be separated by a louvered door, wall, or nothing at all. If the bedroom is in the basement

    David,

    It does not matter where the bedroom is, if you followed the posts above you would understand that the space WOULD NOT be allowed to "be separated by a louvered door", etc.

    Jerry Peck
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  13. #13
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    So Jerry, are you saying that if the bedroom door was indeed a door and not louvered, you can have it exit into a room containing a furnace, water heater, etc? The house I inspected today has that. There is another exit via a window well in the bedroom. It is large enough for egress.


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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Fuhrmann View Post
    So Jerry, are you saying that if the bedroom door was indeed a door and not louvered, you can have it exit into a room containing a furnace, water heater, etc? The house I inspected today has that. There is another exit via a window well in the bedroom. It is large enough for egress.
    A bedroom requires two means of egress. If the window is a valid means of egress, (less than 44" above the floor, at least 5.7 sq ft openable space, and at least 18-24) AND if you have a second egress, then a third door into a utilty space would not be a problem.

    How many doors are in this room of yours and where do they lead? What are the dimensions of the window and far above grade is the window?

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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Fuhrmann View Post
    So Jerry, are you saying that if the bedroom door was indeed a door and not louvered, you can have it exit into a room containing a furnace, water heater, etc?
    Quote Originally Posted by Billy Stephens View Post
    Depends on what is in the Utility Room.
    Quote Originally Posted by mathew stouffer View Post
    Two gas water heaters, two gas furnaces, 100 btu and 85 btu, distribution panels, fire suppression riser. The works.
    As Billy said, it "Depends on what is in the Utility Room.", then Mat told us what was in that Utility Room "Two gas water heaters, two gas furnaces, 100 btu and 85 btu".

    From the IRC.
    - G2406.2 (303.3) Prohibited locations. Appliances shall not be located in sleeping rooms, bathrooms, toilet rooms, storage closets or surgical rooms, or in a space that opens only into such rooms or spaces, except where the installation complies with one of the following:
    (there are 5 exceptions to the "shall not be located in")

    Jerry Peck
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  16. #16
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Ok, here is the layout. Down the stairs to a narrow room that served as a laundry room in the past. It has a sink, stool, shower, etc. Passing straight thru another door to the furnace room (furnace, water heater, freezer, sink). Off of the furnace room is a small room closed off with a door (shop area) with window well eggress. Also off the furnace room is the bedroom closed off with a door. Only one other eggress from the room is the window well. It is more than 44" above the floor but meets the other criteria. So you have two eggress points: thru the furnace room, thru the laundry room then up the stairs or out the window well (if you can climb that high). One other item I took issue with was that there was no means to supply the furnace and water heater with combustion air. No louvered doors, no external piping. If all the doors mentioned were closed, who knows!!!


  17. #17
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Fuhrmann View Post
    Ok, here is the layout. Down the stairs to a narrow room that served as a laundry room in the past. It has a sink, stool, shower, etc. Passing straight thru another door to the furnace room (furnace, water heater, freezer, sink). Off of the furnace room is a small room closed off with a door (shop area) with window well eggress. Also off the furnace room is the bedroom closed off with a door. Only one other eggress from the room is the window well. It is more than 44" above the floor but meets the other criteria. So you have two eggress points: thru the furnace room, thru the laundry room then up the stairs or out the window well (if you can climb that high). One other item I took issue with was that there was no means to supply the furnace and water heater with combustion air. No louvered doors, no external piping. If all the doors mentioned were closed, who knows!!!
    .
    .
    The Problem is ?

    How would this setup be different than exiting a bedroom through a garage with installed supply equipment ?
    .

    It Might have Choked Artie But it ain't gone'a choke Stymie! Our Gang " The Pooch " (1932)
    Billy J. Stephens HI Service Memphis TN.

  18. #18
    Richard Stanley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    18" x 24" is less than 5.7 sq '. Room would have to be enclosed, self closing door, sealed. Combustion air from exterior....etc.


  19. #19
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Fuhrmann View Post
    Ok, here is the layout. Down the stairs to a narrow room that served as a laundry room in the past. It has a sink, stool, shower, etc.
    Okay, down the stairs to a bathroom with no privacy doors. Got it.

    Passing straight thru another door to the furnace room (furnace, water heater, freezer, sink).
    Okay, got this too, hallway with equipment in it, just like if the equipment were off to the side in a closet behind doors, except no doors. Got it.

    Off of the furnace room is a small room closed off with a door (shop area) with window well eggress.
    Off the hallway is a workshop room. Got it.
    - If newer, that also needs emergency egress ('may need' emergency egress). If older, it did not at the time of construction.

    Also off the furnace room is the bedroom closed off with a door.
    Off the hallway is a bedroom. Got it.

    Only one other eggress from the room is the window well. It is more than 44" above the floor but meets the other criteria.
    Does not really matter if it meets the other criteria, you have Fry Room 1 there as the sill is too high.

    So you have two eggress points: thru the furnace room, thru the laundry room then up the stairs or out the window well (if you can climb that high).
    Which means you do not have two egress points, you only have one - the window is too high to be considered an EERO.

    One other item I took issue with was that there was no means to supply the furnace and water heater with combustion air. No louvered doors, no external piping. If all the doors mentioned were closed, who knows!!!
    There is a source for that combustion air: Fry Room 1, now called Fry Room 1/Suffocation Room 1.

    Jerry Peck
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  20. #20
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    Default Re: Living space separation from utility room

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Fuhrmann View Post
    .
    Ok,
    .
    One other item I took issue with was that there was no means to supply the furnace and water heater with combustion air. No louvered doors, no external piping. If all the doors mentioned were closed, who knows!!!
    .
    Oops !

    Missed The External " No Combustion Air Supply. "
    .
    * As Setup Must draw Combustion Air from Outside The Conditioned Space.

    .



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