N.Y.C. Admin. Code § FGC 303: Section FGC 303: Appliance Location

303.1 General.

Appliances shall be located as required by this section, specific requirements elsewhere in this code and the conditions of the equipment and appliance listing.

303.2 Hazardous locations.

Appliances shall not be located in a hazardous location unless listed and approved for the specific installation.

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.

Exceptions:

1. In rooms other than those used for sleeping purposes, direct-vent appliances that obtain all combustion air directly from the outdoors and installed in accordance with the conditions of the listing and the manufacturer's instructions.

2. In rooms other than those used for sleeping purposes, vented room heaters, wall furnaces, vented decorative appliances, vented gas fireplaces, vented gas fireplace heaters and decorative appliances for installation in vented solid fuel-burning fireplaces that are installed in rooms that meet the required volume criteria of Section 304.5.

3. In rooms other than those used for sleeping purposes, appliances installed in an enclosure in which all combustion air is taken from the outdoors, in accordance with Section 304.6. Access to such enclosure shall be through a solid weather-stripped door, equipped with an approved self-closing device.

303.3.1 Gas-fired direct vent appliances.

Gas-fired direct vent space-heating appliances used for providing heat in rooms for sleeping purposes shall be deemed to be located outside of the sleeping room provided that the appliance and its installation comply with Sections 303.3.1.1 through 303.3.1.7.

303.3.1.1 General.

Such unit is factory assembled and manufactured with an integral, factory assembled and hard-wired carbon monoxide detector interlock and automatic main gas shut-off valve. The appliance shall be tested, designed and evaluated in accordance with Section 622 of this code. Acceptable gas-fired direct vent space-heating appliances shall be listed and labeled by an approved agency in accordance with Section 28-113.2.3 of the Administrative Code. Installation shall be in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and the applicable listing.

303.3.1.2 Carbon monoxide detector.

The carbon monoxide detector shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2034 and UL 2075 and installed in accordance with the carbon monoxide detector manufacturer's instructions. The carbon monoxide detector may be installed integral to the appliance, on the surface of the appliance or remotely, but hard-wired, no more than 5 feet (1.5 m) from the appliance.

303.3.1.3 Internal safety controls.

The appliance shall be hard-wired to the carbon monoxide detector in a supervisory signaling mode. If the carbon monoxide detector connection is not sensed, the appliance shall not initiate a startup sequence and shall alert the operator to the fault condition. The appliance shall be supplied with a carbon monoxide fault indicator easily visible and recognizable to the operator. The appliance shall be equipped with a manual restart control. Automatic reset is not permitted.

303.3.1.4 Gas piping.

The appliance shall be installed with natural gas only. All gas piping shall be hard-piped with no flexible connectors. Pursuant to Section 27-2034(f) of the New York City Housing Maintenance Code, each heater shall be equipped with an effective device to automatically shut off the gas supply to the heater if its pilot light or other constantly burning flame is extinguished, or in the event of an interruption of the gas supply to the heater, and will not permit the heater to be relighted unless such shut-off device is first reset manually.

303.3.1.5 Venting.

Such unit shall be of direct vent type, such that all air for combustion is derived from the outdoors and that all flue gases are discharged directly to the outdoors. Such unit shall be installed through a sleeve located in an exterior wall.

303.3.1.6 Installation.

Gas-fired direct vented appliances shall be installed in accordance with the following:

1. Carbon monoxide detectors installed with gas-fired direct vent space-heating appliance shall be provided in addition to code required carbon monoxide detector devices in dwelling units.

2. Carbon monoxide detectors installed with gas-fired direct vent space-heating appliance shall not be interconnected to other carbon monoxide detecting devices in the dwelling unit.

3. The appliance shall only be installed by a master licensed plumber.

303.3.1.7 Clearances.

Gas-fired direct vented appliances shall be installed with the following clearances:

1. Clearances from adjacent combustible surfaces shall meet the minimum clearances indicated by the manufacturer's instructions and the listing agency.

2. Clearances from adjacent openings or packaged terminal air conditioners (PTAC) and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHP), the bottom of the vent terminal and the air intake shall be located at least 12 inches (304.8 mm) above finished ground level and in accordance with Table 303.3.1.7.

3. For all other equipment, all vent termination clearances from adjacent openings shall be in accordance with Section 503.8.

Table 303.3.1.7 PTAC and PTHP Vent Termination Clearance to Air Openings

Appliance Input Rating (BTU per hour)

Vent Termination Clearance to Any Air Opening Into Same or Adjacent Building (inches)

10,000 or less

6

Over 10,000 but less than 50,000

9

50,000 or over

12

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 British thermal unit per hour = 0.2931 W.

303.4 Protection from physical damage.

Appliances shall not be installed in a location where subject to physical damage, including vehicular impact, unless protected by approved barriers meeting the requirements of the New York City Fire Code.

303.5 Indoor locations.

Furnaces and boilers installed in closets and alcoves shall be listed for such installation.

303.5.1 Gas fired appliances.

Boilers, furnaces and other centrally installed space heating equipment, regardless of btu per hour input, shall be located in an enclosure in accordance with Section 509 of the New York City Building Code.

Exception: Gas fired direct vented appliances with a 350,000 btu per hour (102.6 kW) input or less may be installed in a non-fire rated enclosure.

303.5.2 Maximum temperature.

Maximum indoor temperature in spaces surrounding appliances shall not exceed the greater of the operational temperature of the installed equipment or 104°F (40°C).

303.6 Outdoor locations.

Appliances installed in outdoor locations shall be either listed for outdoor installation or provided with protection from outdoor environmental factors that influence the operability, durability and safety of the appliances.

303.7 Pit locations.

Appliances installed in pits or excavations shall not come in direct contact with the surrounding soil. The sides of the pit or excavation shall be held back a minimum of 12 inches (304.8 mm) from the appliance. Where the depth exceeds 12 inches (304.8 mm) below adjoining grade, the walls of the pit or excavation shall be lined with concrete or masonry, such concrete or masonry shall extend a minimum of 4 inches (101.6 mm) above adjoining grade and shall have sufficient lateral load-bearing capacity to resist collapse. The appliance shall be protected from flooding in a manner approved by the commissioner.