Heating System Clearance and Protection refers to the building code requirements designed to prevent fire hazards associated with furnaces, boilers, stoves, and other heat-producing appliances. These regulations mandate specific clearances from combustible materials and the use of fire-resistive shielding or construction to protect the building structure.
General Requirements
The 1935 Miami Dade Building Code establishes strict standards for the installation of heating plants. Low-pressure steam heating plants and hot water heaters using solid or liquid fuel must rest on masonry-wall-construction or reinforced concrete floors and be protected on the outside by asbestos (p. 265). The clearance of wooden partitions, ceilings, and other combustible materials must match the requirements for warm air furnaces (p. 265).
Specific Appliances
- Boilers: Large boilers for power or steam purposes must maintain significant clearances from combustible materials. No wood or other combustible material shall be less than five feet from the top or sides, or ten feet from the front of the apparatus (p. 265). Combustible material within closer proximity must be protected with at least four inches of concrete, brick, or other incombustible material (p. 265).
- Stoves: Stoves used for heating, cooking, or laundry purposes must have combustible partitions behind and extending beyond them protected by not less than one-hour fire-resistive-construction-requirements (p. 265). They must be securely supported at least twelve inches above wood floors by metal supports, with a metal and asbestos pad below extending beyond the stove (p. 265).
- Gas Ranges: Domestic gas ranges and water heaters must be supported at least six inches above wood floors. Combustible partitions within six inches must be protected by asbestos and metal covering or one-hour fire-resistive protection (p. 265-266). Commercial ranges in restaurants and hotels have stricter requirements, including protection for wood ceilings within three feet (p. 266).
- Oil Burners: Apparatus using oil burners must comply with regulations from the national board of fire underwriters and the national fire protection association (p. 266).
Warm Air Ducts
Warm air ducts and appurtenances must be constructed of bright tin or galvanized iron (p. 267). They must be insulated with asbestos paper or constructed as double-walled pipes with an air space (p. 267). Horizontal warm air pipes must be kept at least three inches from combustible material or protected with an asbestos shield and a one-inch air space (p. 267).
Solar Heaters
solar-heater-construction-standards are also regulated to ensure safety. Coil boxes must be made of galvanized iron or equivalent rust-resisting material and anchored securely (p. 268). Tanks must be galvanized and designed to operate under 100-pound pressure (p. 268). Insulation around tanks must be at least five inches of cork to minimize heat loss (p. 269).
These requirements are part of the broader fire-resistive-construction-requirements aimed at protecting buildings from fire hazards.