Two pipes or openings on the side of a house can look almost identical, but that doesn’t mean the same furnace vent clearance from air intake applies to every installation. That’s where people get tripped up. A furnace vent may terminate near an outdoor-air inlet serving the building, the combustion-air intake for another furnace or … Read more
Furnace intake and exhaust pipe separation is one of those things that looks like it should have a simple code dimension. You have two PVC pipes coming through the side of the house—one is the furnace exhaust and the other is the combustion-air intake. So how far apart do they have to be? There is … Read more
Furnace vent clearance from window openings can vary depending on how the furnace is installed. A high-efficiency furnace is often vented through the side of the house with PVC pipe. Sometimes you’ll see two pipes—an exhaust and a combustion-air intake. Other installations may have only the exhaust terminating outside. So how close can that furnace … Read more
Most people see a high-efficiency furnace with PVC pipe running outside and immediately call it a direct-vent furnace. But what is a direct vent furnace under the IRC? The answer depends on where the furnace gets its combustion air and where the flue gases are discharged. The exhaust pipe tells you where the combustion gases … Read more
One of the most common questions I hear: “If I’m replacing an existing bedroom window, does the new window have to meet today’s egress code?” It’s a fair question because there are a lot of opinions on the subject. Some people immediately assume every replacement window must meet today’s emergency escape and rescue opening requirements. … Read more
I’ve heard this question many times: Can you build a deck in front of an egress window? Actually, maybe you can. I’ve seen this come up during plan reviews, inspections, and conversations with homeowners more times than I can count. Someone notices a basement emergency escape window under a proposed deck and immediately says the … Read more
Bedroom egress window requirements begin with one common misconception. Most people assume a larger bedroom window automatically meets code. Most people start by measuring the window. The code starts somewhere else. Before grabbing a tape measure, the first question isn’t how big the window is. It’s whether IRC Section R310 requires an emergency escape and … Read more
Closet lighting code requirements are often misunderstood. Many people assume that if a fixture uses LED technology, it can be installed almost anywhere in a clothes closet. The National Electrical Code (NEC), however, regulates more than the type of light source. It also regulates where the luminaire may be installed in relation to the defined … Read more
Do recessed shower lights need GFCI protection? It’s one of the more common electrical code questions I hear, especially when a recessed shower light or bathroom exhaust fan is installed over a bathtub or shower. The short answer is: not necessarily. The key to answering this question is recognizing that the NEC is addressing three … Read more
Bathroom 20-Amp Branch Circuit Requirements seem straightforward until you start asking what else can be connected to them. That’s where the confusion usually begins. One electrician says, “Every bathroom needs its own 20-amp circuit.” Another says, “You can put the lights on that circuit too.” Then someone else insists, “No, the lights have to be … Read more
