HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/2/06-Fire Code Violation
Fire Rated Furnace / Mechanical Room
Date: June 2, 2006
Address: 300 Division St
Issue: Current condition is there is an 11' x 16' ftre rated furnace, mechanical room, in which a great deal
of combustible material (paper fIles) are being stored. This has placed the property in violation of fITe
code.
Building info: Year Built: 1969
No of stories: 1 wi basement
Total Area: 1204 -
Use Group: B - Office
Equipment in furnace room:
120,000 Btu natural gas open combustion furnace
40,000 Btu natural gas water heater
18" x 9" combustion air intake from the exterior
Applicable codes:
Old Code - in effect at time of construction
IND 54.13 Isolation of Hazards: (1) All heating boilers and furnaces, power boilers, fuel rooms, storage
vaults for paints, oils and similar combustibles and other similar hazards in a building shall be isolated from
the rest of the building by at least a 2-hour fITe-resistive enclosure as specifted in Ind. 5 1.05 and Ind. 51.06;
except that in buildings not more than 2 stories in height and having a floor area of not more than 3000 sq.
feet per floor, a one-hour ftre-resistive enclosure as specifted in Ind. 51.05 and Ind.51.06, or better shall be
provided
Current Code - in effect if the building were built today
IBC Table 302.1.1 Incidental areas: Furnace room where largest piece of equipment is over 400,000 Btu
per hour input requires a one-hour separation, or automatic fITe-extinguishing system.
IFC 315.2.3 Equipment Rooms: Combustible material shall not be stored in boiler rooms, mechanical
rooms, or electrical equipment rooms.
Conclusion: We do not typically apply the provisions of the new code to an existing building without
evaluating the entire structure to review for compliance with all of the new code requirements. However,
in this speciftc case the limited size of the building, and the fact that is stands on its own (not attached to
any other building) would allow for us to apply the new code provisions without requiring a full code
review of the building. In this case it will result in a no rating being required for the furnace I mechanical
room. This will allow for tlte construction of a smaller uon-mted furnace room to separate tlte
equipment from the area being used for storage. All required clearance, aud combustion air
requirements are required to be maintained.
Cc: Property File Inspections
Fire Department File