{"data":{"id":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-mc-608","jurisdiction":"us-nyc","citation":"N.Y.C. Admin. Code § MC 608","heading":"Section MC 608: Air Outlets and Air Inlets","body":"608.1 Air Outlets.\n\nAir outlets shall comply with sections 608.1.1 through 608.1.3\n\n608.1.1 General.\n\nAir supplied to any space shall not contain flammable vapors, flyings, or dust in quantities and concentrations that would introduce a hazardous condition.\n\n608.1.2 Construction of air outlets.\n\nAir outlets shall be constructed of noncombustible material or a material that has a maximum smoke-developed index/rating of 50 and a maximum flame spread index/rating of 25.\n\n608.1.3 Location of air outlets.\n\nThe location of air outlets shall comply with the following requirements:\n\n1. Air outlets shall be located at least 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the floor.\n\nException: Air outlets may be located less than 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the floor where provisions have been made to prevent dirt and dust accumulations from entering the system.\n\n2. Where located less than 7 feet (2133.6 mm) above the floor, outlet openings shall be protected by a grille or screen having openings through which a 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) sphere cannot pass.\n\n3. Grilles may be located in floors provided they are installed so that they may be removed for cleaning purposes and provided they are constructed as follows:\n\n3.1 Grilles up to 3 square feet (0.2787 m\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) in gross area shall be designed to support a concentrated live load of 250 pounds (113.4 kg) on any 4 square inches (2580.6 mm\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) of surface.\n\n3.2 Grilles over 3 square feet (0.2787 m\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) in gross area shall be designed to support the same loads as the floor in the area where used.\n\n3.3 If located where they may be walked upon, the opening in grilles shall reject a 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) sphere.\n\n608.2 Air inlets (return or exhaust or return and exhaust).\n\nAir inlets shall be constructed in accordance with 608.2.1 through 608.2.3.\n\n608.2.1 General.\n\nAir shall not be recirculated from any space in which flammable vapors, flyings, or dust is present in quantities and concentrations that would introduce a hazardous condition into the return air system.\n\n608.2.2 Construction of air inlets.\n\nAir inlets shall be constructed of noncombustible material or a material that has a maximum flame spread index/rating of 25 and a maximum smoke developed index/rating of 50.\n\n608.2.3 Location of air inlets.\n\nThe location of air inlets shall comply with the following requirements.\n\n1. Air inlets shall be located at least 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the floor.\n\nException: Air inlets may be located less than 3 inches (76.2 mm) above the floor where provisions have been made to prevent dirt and dust accumulations from entering the system.\n\n2. Where located less than 7 feet (2133.6 mm) above the floor, inlet openings shall be protected by a grille or screens having openings through which a 1- inch (12.7 mm) sphere cannot pass.\n\n3. Grilles may be located in floors provided they are installed so that they may be removed for cleaning purposes and provided they are constructed as follows:\n\n3.1. Grilles up to 3 square feet (0.2787 m\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) in gross area shall be designed to support a concentrated live load of 250 pounds (113.4 kg) on any 4 square inches (2580.6 mm\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) of surface.\n\n3.2. Grilles over 3 square feet (0.2787 m\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t) in gross area shall be designed to support the same loads as the floor in the area where used.\n\n3.3. If located where they may be walked upon, the opening in grilles shall reject a 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) sphere.","path":["New York City Administrative Code","Title 28","Chapter 8: New York City Mechanical Code"],"source_url":"https://files.amlegal.com/pdffiles/NewYorkCity/Admin/XML.zip","current_through":"Local Law 2026/135 (enacted August 31, 2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-06T02:48:57Z","sha256":"0c5cfdd1bdda63d6e5dbc22186e2cc9997572c4cf3a2ab00de122de55480f933","source_id":"us-nyc","stale":false,"prev":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-mc-607","next":"us-nyc/n.y.c.-admin.-code-mc-609"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}