www.desatech.com
121623-01A
7
AIR FOR cOmBUSTION AND VENTILATION
WARNING: This fireplace
shall not be installed in a con
-
fined space or unusually tight
construction unless provisions
are provided for adequate com
-
bustion and ventilation air. Read
the following instructions to in
-
sure proper fresh air for this and
other fuel-burning appliances in
your home.
Today’s homes are built more energy efficient
than ever. New materials, increased insulation
and.new.construction.methods.help.reduce.
heat. loss. in. homes.. Home. owners. weather.
strip. and. caulk. around. windows. and. doors.
to.keep.the.cold.air.out.and.the.warm.air.in..
During heating months, home owners want
their.homes.as.airtight.as.possible.
While.it.is.good.to.make.your.home.energy.
efficient, your home needs to breathe. Fresh
air.must.enter.your.home..All.fuel-burning.ap-
pliances.need.fresh.air.for.proper.combustion.
and.ventilation.
Exhaust fans, fireplaces, clothes dryers and
fuel. burning. appliances. draw. air. from. the.
house to operate. You must provide adequate
fresh. air. for. these. appliances..This. will. in-
sure. proper. venting. of. vented. fuel-burning.
appliances.
PROVIDING ADEQUATE
VENTILATION
The.following.are.excerpts.from.N
ational Fuel
Gas Code. ANSI Z223.1/NFPA 54, Air for
Combustion and Ventilation.
All.spaces.in.homes.fall.into.one.of.the.three.
following ventilation classifications:
1..Unusually.Tight.Construction
2. Unconfined Space
3. Confined Space
The.information.on.pages.7.through.9.will.help.
you classify your space and provide adequate
ventilation.
The.air.that.leaks.around.doors.and.windows.
may. provide. enough. fresh. air. for. combus-
tion and ventilation. However, in buildings of
unusually tight construction, you must provide
additional.fresh.air.
Unusually tight construction is defined as
construction where:
a. walls and ceilings exposed to the out
-
side atmosphere have a continuous
water vapor retarder with a rating of one
perm (6 x 10
-11
kg per pa-sec-m
2
) or less
with openings gasketed or sealed
and
b. weather stripping has been added on
openable windows and doors
and
c. caulking or sealants are applied to
areas such as joints around window
and door frames, between sole plates
and floors, between wall-ceiling joints,
between wall panels, at penetrations
for plumbing, electrical and gas lines
and at other openings.
If your home meets all of these three
criteria, you must provide additional
fresh air. See
Ventilation Air From
Outdoors
, page 9.
If your home does not meet all of the
three criteria above, proceed to
Deter-
mining Fresh-Air Flow For Fireplace
Location
, page 8.
Confined and Unconfined Space
The National Fuel Gas Code, ANSI Z223.1/
NFPA 54
. defines. a. confined. space. as. a.
space.whose.volume.is.less.than.50.ft
3
.per.
1,000 Btu/hr (4.8 m
3
/kw). of. the. aggregate.
input.rating.of.all.appliances.installed.in.that.
space and an unconfined space as a space
whose. volume. is. not. less. than. 50. ft
3
. per.
1,000 Btu/hr (4.8 m
3
/kw). of. the. aggregate.
input. rating. of. all. appliances. installed. in.
that.space..Rooms.communicating.directly.
with.the.space.in.which.the.appliances.are.
installed*, through openings not furnished
with doors, are considered a part of the
unconfined space.
*.Adjoining.rooms.are.communicating.only.if.
there.are.doorless.passageways.or.ventilation.
grills.between.them.
