separated by a door. Though an area may appear to be un confined, it might be necessary to bring in outdoor air for combustion if the structure does not provide enough air by infiltration. If the furnace is located in a building of tight construction with weather stripping and caulking around the windows and doors, follow the procedures in the air from outside section.
Confined Space
A confined space is an area with a volume less than 50 cu bic feet (1.42 m3) per 1,000 Btu (.29 kW) per hour of the combined input rating of all appliances installed in that space. This definition includes furnace closets or small equipment rooms.
When the furnace is installed so that supply ducts carry air circulated by the furnace to areas outside the space contain ing the furnace, the return air must be handled by ducts which are sealed to the furnace casing and which terminate outside the space containing the furnace. This is especially important when the furnace is mounted on a platform in a confined space such as a closet or small equipment room. Even a small leak around the base of the unit at the platform or at the return air duct connection can cause a potentially dangerous negative pressure condition. Air for combustion and ventilation can be brought into the confined space either from inside the building or from outside.
EQUIPMENT IN CONFINED
SPACE ALL AIR FROM INSIDE
CHIMNEY
OR GAS
VENT
| WATER |
FURNACE | HEATER |
| OPENINGS |
| (To Adjacent |
| Room) |
NOTE - Each opening shall have a free area of at least one square inch (645 mm2) per 1,000 Btu (.29 kW) per hour of the total input rat ing of all equipment in the enclosure, but not less than 100 square inches (64516 mm2).
FIGURE 2
Air from Inside
If the confined space that houses the furnace adjoins a space categorized as unconfined, air can be brought in by providing two permanent openings between the two spaces. Each opening must have a minimum free area of 1 square inch (645 mm2) per 1,000 Btu (.29 kW) per hour of total input rating of all
mm)of the top of the enclosure and one opening within 12 inches (305 mm) of the bottom. See figure 2.
Air from Outside
If air from outside is brought in for combustion and ventila tion, the confined space must have two permanent open ings. One opening shall be within 12 inches (305 mm) of the top of the enclosure and one opening within 12 inches (305
mm)of the bottom. These openings must communicate di rectly or by ducts with the outdoors or spaces (crawl or at tic) that freely communicate with the outdoors or indirectly through vertical ducts. Each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 square inch (645 mm2) per 4,000 Btu (1.17 kW) per hour of total input rating of all equipment in the en closure. See figures 3 and 4. When communicating with the outdoors through horizontal ducts, each opening shall have a minimum free area of 1 square inch (645 mm2) per 2,000 Btu (.56 kW) per total input rating of all equipment in the enclosure. See figure 5.
When ducts are used, they shall be of the same
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