Expert: Jim Barnhart - 8/11/2006

Question
Hi Jim

We recently bought an older townhome in the Park City Utah Area. We have owned it 2 years. Dec of 05 we had to replace the furnance. We replaced it with a coleman 80% efficiency (an Echelon 8.V series) furnance. The furnance vents into our chimney and it gives out 80,000 btu's it is in a room with the water heater that gives out 40,000 BTU's the room is 15x4 and about 8 feet high. This room is right next to or off of the basement bedroom. Currently the doors on this "furnace room" are bi-fold louvered doors. The basement room has always been a bedroom, it was when we purchased the home. We had a building inspector come through the place before we purchased it and never mentioned what I am about to ask as a problem. We had a small gas leak from the line that entered the furnance. When the gas company came out to check for the leak the gentleman informed me he could not turn my appliances back on because I was taking combustion air from a bedroom and this was not allowed. He informed me what I had to do was place solid doors were the louvered doors are to seal off the room and then cut an 8 inch hole in my wall to the outside for combustion air. This hole could have no vent, no cover just some mesh I guess. Well this is in Park City Utah and winter is long and cold. I am afraid this room will freeze and make the lower bedroom freeze. There must be another option....please tell me there is. Is there a way to pipe fresh air directly into a furance? Any clarity or suggestions would be most helpful.

Gina Mason  

Answer
Gina,
The gas company guy is right.
You may have a bigger proublem in that according to the international building code your not supposed to have access to a furnace room through a bed room.
you need to contact your building department and ask the question, you don't have to give them an address.