Wood boiler in garage?

[barneshilary]

Has anybody ever heard that if you put a wood boiler on an attached garage it is against the national fire or electric code? A friend of mine told me this today, and before I start this project I was wondering if anybody has ever heard this. I am definitely going to contact the insurance company!

Thanks for the input

 

[MrEd]

IN some areas(most? all?) it is illegal to install a solid fuel burning appliance in a garage...at some level it makes sense - do you really want to have an open flame with gas and gas fumes in the area? In my own area, I had the option of converting the garage into a shop (i.e. framing in the door) or else subdividing the garage so that the boiler sat in a separate room and did not draw air from the garage. Other towns in my area will allow one in the garage if it is 18 or more inches above the floor - best to check with your building inspector in you have one.

 

[barneshilary]

I will look into it with the building inspector. Maybe a separate boiler room off the garage would be a better option.

Thanks

 

[flyingcow]

I live in maine, in a town that doesn't have code officers. I got a quote to have a wood boiler put in my unattached garage. Only way a licensed contractor would do it, is I had to have a solid wall, with no doors between the furnace room and the garage. The furnace room has to have door going to the outside of the garage only.

 

[trailhound68]

MrEd and the flyingcow are correct. I would take their advice. I know a little something about codes, and the device be it oil, wood, propane, whatever would have to be enclosed in a room or behind walls to avoid any possible gas fumes from reaching the fire. You don't want to give the insurance co. any excuse to deny a claim should something unfortunate happen.

 

[barneshilary]

Thanks for the advice. I will have to come up with a new plan. I was thinking this was going to work sweet, but I guess I should move to a different idea.

 

[lawandorder]

I am looking into a Tarm 40 and will be installing in a boiler room which is 8 x 16 and attached to the garage in the back. Spoke with COdes Officer and Building Inspector and he had no problems with it. I live in Saranac NY in Clinton County and it seems to be pretty common now. The only recommendation he had was to make sure I used firecode sheetrock to finish it off. Other than that he was alright with it. We havent even built the garage yet but plan on starting this month. good luck

 

[WoodEnergy]

Gasoline vapors are slightly heavier than air, so they tend to settle and "puddle" on the floor. With all the oxygen above them you have a highly explosive situation: all it would take to ignite is a small spark or flame from your boiler. This is why code requires an elevation change, whether it is a curb or steps going UP into the home. Most garages are well ventilated (leaky) enough to dissipate these vapors before they become a problem. However, if you have a gasoline leak or positive pressure in your fuel tank (hot day) when parking it could lead to a buildup of explosive vapor when the garage doors are closed. Propane has the same density issue, and that is why propane appliances are prohibited in basements or crawlspaces. The code solution is to raise your boiler at least 18" above the floor level of your garage (8" or 12" in some jurisdictions). It is SAFER to avoid this alltogether and place in a seperate boiler room where vapors are never present.

 

[barneshilary]

If I put up a boiler room seperate from the house and garage should it be insulated? How much chimney should I have?

 

[flyingcow]

If I put up a boiler room seperate from the house and garage should it be insulated? How much chimney should I have?

Yes it should be insulated, and the chimney?.....depends on the location of the flue from the peak. don't know the formula.