Building Code on Venting
I have been trying to find the building code for venting an electric dryer, stove hood, and bathroom fans. According to the information I got from the structural engineer who is working with my expeditor, it seems like the bath fan can be combined with the stove hood, but both need to be separate from…
I have been trying to find the building code for venting an electric dryer, stove hood, and bathroom fans. According to the information I got from the structural engineer who is working with my expeditor, it seems like the bath fan can be combined with the stove hood, but both need to be separate from the dryer. And it’s okay to put them out the back, on the garden side, but they have to be at least ten feet away from a ventilating window.
But I can’t see any way that anyone in Brownstone Brooklyn can vent 10 feet away from a window, since most houses are only 20 feet wide. I have seen at friend’s house that their stove hoods and dryers make a straight path to the exterior rear wall and are closer than ten feet from windwos, but i am worried about violating building code, since this is a filed job. My contractor thinks it’s best to vent it off the roof, but that’s going to require breaking open a lot of walls, since we’re talking about the drayer and bath fan on the garden and the stove hood and another bath fan on the parlor.
Unfortunately, since we are doing our reno on the cheap, we don’t have an architect whom I can call with this question.
Can anyone help clarify or point me to the appropriate section of the building code. All I can find is info about venting gas dryers.
Thanks in advance for your help!
PTF
Thanks Brooklynexpediter. I am starting to get the picture that interpreting the building codes is not an exact science. It seems like what you are saying is that if an inspector wanted to, he or she might object to the placement of venting systems too close to the lot line or even to the building’s own ventilating windows. Therefore better to vent through the roof. But if we can’t vent through the roof or find that it requires breaking open so many walls and disrupting original details such as crown moldings and wainscotting that it is undesirable, then we can take our chances and go out the back. It’s all very Kafkaesque. I feel for the difficulties of your job!
The issue with the ten feet is that it is only refernced in the reference standard. Regarding section 27-776 which mandated NOT TO INTERFERE with proper FUNCTION of the adjacent building is up for interpretation grabs.
Because it is onlylisted in the refernece standard section which is not used so much it is pretty easy just not to look into that and for that reason DOB lets it pass as they just don’t know where to find an odjection for such a thing and that is also why you will see a lot of developments not complying with that section.
If you can vent theru the roof that is always best
Isn’t the V in HVAC for ventilation? is that not what the exhaust fans do?
ok, the 10 feet from window venting requirement referenced by brooklynexpeditor refers specifically to hvac systems. there doesn’t seem to be any reference specifically to stove hoods, bath fans or dryers, so it seems like this section of the code below would apply. but it seems very vague. is building code on venting a matter of interpretion?
§[C26-1300.6] 27-776
(d) Openings. -No openings for outdoor exhaust air
discharges, air intakes, or reliefs from equipment shall
be located and constructed so as to:
(1) Interfere with the proper functioning of other
openings in the same building or in adjoining buildings.
(2) Interfere unreasonably with the occupants of the same
building or adjoining buildings or with the general public.
(3) Create a fire or health hazard.) has to be vented separately, but
The applicable building code is prior to 1968. We filed the job using an expeditor whose structural enigneer drew and stamped the plans. This SE told me not less than 10 feet from ventilated window but made it seem like everyone ran it out the back and that it was okay, that the DOB looked the other way… I do see lots of people with vents within 10 feet of windows. Thank you for the code citation. Once my seventh month old stops trying to type on the computer, I will try to make snese of it myself. PTF
this sounds pretty dangerous. since you live in such close proximity to others, don’t you think that someone who knows exactly what they are talking about should be contacted? nice that you want to do this on your own, but you are risking other people’s lives if carbon monoxide can be an issue, or built up gases.
Legally you cannot vent within 10′ feet of a required windowt. See the following code section: RS 13 Chapter 2: section 2-2.1.4
Note: the above applies to HVAC vents.
outside air will be an issue because you are exhausting air. that air needs to come from someplace. if your building envelope is tight then you might expose yourself to corbon monoxide. manufactures directions will tell you that.
the shaft is a fire rated enclosure = fire dampers….
Bikerboynycny’s answers are spot on, above, and also point to the first step in solving your problem. You need to know which code (old code, 1968, or 2008) that is governing your project before you can determine venting distances. Look up your filing on the DoB website and the page on the filing application will tell you which code to apply.