Need to build a 'closet' around furnace, hot water heater - help!

[tulsa_sr5]

So, we're selling our house and the buyers are doing FHA so they have a few silly (to me at least) little things they want done. One is that the furnace and hot water heater are sitting on a raised section of foundation in the garage, and they want a 'properly ventilated closet' built anound them. Not sure what purpose this is supposed to serve, but it seems like an easy enough job. Anyone know what specs I should build it to? ie min amount of space to leave around the furnace, min size of the vents etc. Seems like using regular doors would make it awefully hard to replace the furnace down the road. Also thinking about using paneling of some sort instead of dryway, since i hate doing drywall.

Any help is appreciated.

[Seanz0rz]

check with your local building and safety dept for local codes. go in and ask for advise, usually they are more than happy to help you (but will not design something for you)

[CJM]

Probably need about 3 feet or so around each unit, need to have a ventilated door.

Imho if they want it done, they pay for it too.

[tulsa_sr5]

i think they are nuts to even ask for it. 3' in front of the furnace would block the pull down attic door and make it pretty much a 1 car garage. I guess i'm picturing more of a built in cabinet than a real closet. I may just call someone to take care of it, would rather work on the 4runner than mess with that.

our previous house had everything in the house in a sort of regular closet, and it was maybe 6" clearance on all sides, but we didn't do an FHA loan so the inspection didn't say if that was ok or not.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

[slosurfer]

I'm pretty sure your clearances can be pretty close, 6" or so like you were saying.

[4x4mike]

I bought a house in March and at the time of inspection the water heater was leaking. Apparently it had just started and was due to a faulty pressure relief valve installation. During our home inspection we asked to have the water heater serviced or replaced and all necessary permits be taken out on the repair/replacement. We asked this because if it had been done in the first place it would most likely have a properly installed PRV. The seller was offended that we asked for a permit. As it turns out in CA and at least my county there are quite a few code regulations involving a HWH, mine is electric BTW. We were glad he did this because he ended up replacing the whole unit and I didn't want it exploding after he left.
We did not pay for any of it, nor would we, we hadn't bought the house yet. We couldn't have been able to buy the house because it would have failed the home inspection. We had asked for several other things to be repaired/replaced. The seller did some but not all. Basically the house had the pass the safety inspection and then hopefully an appraisal, other repairs/fix it things were all part of negotiating. If I were selling the house I wouldn't have fixed anything I didn't have to, especially if it is not required for health, safety, or code.

If I were you I'd let them build their own. Say you built it and they didn't like it you'd have to take it down or rebuild it. Has the home been inspected? Have you excepted the buyers offer? Escrow started?

[tulsa_sr5]

Hey Mike, yeah, they had their inspection last week, and the closet is one of the things he put on his report. Guess it became code sometime after the house was built, although I really can't imagine the purpose of enclosing it like that. Not sure why it didn't come up on our inspection when we bought the place, it was less than three years ago. We don't do escrow here. Everything is a lot more laid back in the process compared to cali or even colorado.

[4x4mike]

I guess if you've got to bring it up to code you have to. But maybe not. We have access to our attic through the garage. The PO had installed pull down stairs to access he space. I guess code says that the ladder access "door" must be a certain thickness our that a firewall beinstalled. This would keep a fire that starts in the garage from accessing the rest of the house through the attic. The seller said he wouldn't fix it. It would have required cutting a lot of sheet rock to fit through the access and screwed into both sides of the studs to meet code. He could have removed the stairs and patched the access and be fine. The bank and inspector thought it was fine by leaving it. Now if our house burned down and the insurance company looked at it they might have somethingto say. I'd check to see if you are required to make the update.

[Vermejo]

International Building Code does not require the enclosure in the garage. If they want proper ventilation it will have to be vented to the outside as well as have a return function. Double doors would have to be installed to allow proper access to both units. Preexisting homes are not subject to comply with new codes; new renovations require the most current building codes for those areas affected. Depending on your local codes the closet could require fireproof doors/insulation, outside ventilation, height and access requirements.

I壇 pass the headache and liability on to the new owners and give them an allowance to remedy the problem themselves. This request is un-necessary

[wifesaysimadumbass]

the most important thing is to rememeber that those two unit need "combustion air" it needs 1 square inch per every ten thousand btus at the top and bottom of each unit so check the rating tags and then use that formula to make the openings it's not as simple as just venting the doors. without enough combustion air the flame form these unit will roll out and possibly create carbon monoxide or a fire danger.

i work for san diego gas and electric i inspect furnaces and other gas appliances for a living do this right or you can get screwed later

[tulsa_sr5]

hey wifesays, thanks for that. I will check. I actually went ahead and got a quote, almost 1000 bucks for a 6' side and a 3' side. So I built it myself, $250 in materials. I tried to go off the size of the vent on the front of the furnace, and bought one a little bigger, 16 x 25. Then I added a second vent over the doors, 6x30. I'll check the btu's and see if i need to add more.

[tulsa_sr5]

vermejo, it does have an exhaust pipe up through the roof, is that what you mean? I agree the request was unnessary, their inspector told me he and his son did theirs a couple weeks prior and it was easy. I think he talked them into asking for it. It does make the garage a lot quieter. The good thing about getting the quote, he found out the specs for it. Double hollow core doors, frame and dry wall, enought vents, that's it. Actually turned out nice.

[Vermejo]

Sounds like you are all set.