Home Page link

Building code - mechanical door/utlity room

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Home Repair - - If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Otherwise look here. 

Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Building code - mechanical door/utlity room John Keith 12-16-2008
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by John Keith on December 16, 2008, 9:42 pm
I need to seek some net widom on a question a friend of mine asked me
tonight.

My friend had a new boiler (hot water heat system) installed and the
installers told him that he needed to have a "mechanical door"
installed on his utility room if there are bedrooms in the basement
(and there are).

What exactly is meant by a "mechanical door"? My friend thought this
implied a door with a closer attached to it but I've never seen a
residential utility room door with a closer. The original boiler (60
years old!) had to be replaced due to failure of some internal parts
which resulted in a CO problem in the house (thankfully he had
detectors.) I wonder if this "mechanical door" is being suggested as a
stop gap measure for future CO issues but that doesn't seem likely
because even the gap at the bottom of the door would not seal CO.

The house is in Ft. Collins CO.

I'd like to just get some net wisdom on the subject I can share with
my friend.

Next steps lacking any feedback will be to probe the HVAC installers
for more detail and/or call the city building inspector for more
insight. I assume a permit was pulled for this job and if so shouldn't
the installer finish the job to meet any inspection?

Thanks for any insight.


John Keith
kd0gd@juno.com

Posted by Ed Pawlowski on December 16, 2008, 10:54 pm

> What exactly is meant by a "mechanical door"? My friend thought this
> implied a door with a closer attached to it but I've never seen a
> residential utility room door with a closer.

Check your local code. It may require a fire rated door. The new boiler
should also have an outside air intake for combustion air.

> Next steps lacking any feedback will be to probe the HVAC installers
> for more detail and/or call the city building inspector for more
> insight. I assume a permit was pulled for this job and if so shouldn't
> the installer finish the job to meet any inspection?
> Thanks for any insight.

They may have pulled a permit for the install of the boiler. That is all
they are required to do. They have no responsibility for the door, use of
adjacent area, etc. That is up to the building owner to comply with codes.
If he has bedrooms in the area he should also check the code for other
requirements, such as a means of egress.



Posted by SteveB on December 17, 2008, 1:07 am

>I need to seek some net widom on a question a friend of mine asked me
> tonight.
> My friend had a new boiler (hot water heat system) installed and the
> installers told him that he needed to have a "mechanical door"
> installed on his utility room if there are bedrooms in the basement
> (and there are).
> What exactly is meant by a "mechanical door"? My friend thought this
> implied a door with a closer attached to it but I've never seen a
> residential utility room door with a closer. The original boiler (60
> years old!) had to be replaced due to failure of some internal parts
> which resulted in a CO problem in the house (thankfully he had
> detectors.) I wonder if this "mechanical door" is being suggested as a
> stop gap measure for future CO issues but that doesn't seem likely
> because even the gap at the bottom of the door would not seal CO.
> The house is in Ft. Collins CO.
> I'd like to just get some net wisdom on the subject I can share with
> my friend.
> Next steps lacking any feedback will be to probe the HVAC installers
> for more detail and/or call the city building inspector for more
> insight. I assume a permit was pulled for this job and if so shouldn't
> the installer finish the job to meet any inspection?
> Thanks for any insight.
> John Keith
> kd0gd@juno.com

Mechanical doors with closers are usually a fire code related requirement.



Posted by John Keith on December 17, 2008, 10:12 am
>Thanks for any insight.
Thank you Ed and Steve for your comments.


John Keith
kd0gd@juno.com

Posted by Ralph Mowery on December 17, 2008, 11:16 am

>I need to seek some net widom on a question a friend of mine asked me
> tonight.
> My friend had a new boiler (hot water heat system) installed and the
> installers told him that he needed to have a "mechanical door"
> installed on his utility room if there are bedrooms in the basement
> (and there are).
> What exactly is meant by a "mechanical door"? My friend thought this
> implied a door with a closer attached to it but I've never seen a
> residential utility room door with a closer. The original boiler (60

It may just mean that a room with a boiler is called a 'mechanical room' and
you need a door for the room.
As was mentioned , check with the local building inspector and see what he
says as he may have to pass it on inspection.



Similar ThreadsPosted
office building bathroom tile building code October 18, 2005, 1:56 pm
Massachusetts Building Code November 4, 2007, 3:10 pm
Building Code, Michigan November 1, 2007, 6:08 pm
Florida Building Code - T&G Ceilings????? July 16, 2008, 1:08 pm
Building Code Inspectors - Survey November 17, 2005, 7:29 am
Building code for Decks - Newfoundland May 14, 2007, 2:25 pm
new york state building code faq February 22, 2008, 9:36 pm
Building screen room... June 8, 2006, 11:43 am
Building a party room April 27, 2009, 6:18 am
Question about building code and walls in basement... January 30, 2006, 9:16 am

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap