looking for some code help here

[widespreadpizza]

Hey all, I am in the beginning stages of planning and construction of an indoor 42" oven in the naples stye indoors in a corner that used to have a woodstove in it. took out the chimney etc. my other thread was called looking for opinions/ideas. and is on this board if you want some more background on my project. anyhow, I got to thinking that I should try/get a permit for this so that everything is legit with the town homeowners' insurance, etc. I went to the mechanical inspector today and i guess I am the only one thats applied since hes been there except for a restaurant in town in about the last 12 years. Any how he didnt really know how to classify the project on the application and gave me some code excerpts to look over and just kept saying everthing should be fine, thanks to the pompeii plans I gave him more input than I think he wanted or cared to understand at 7:30 this morning. When i left he said something along the lines of take the code and match it up against your plans so I can review it, and it should all work out. I looked over the pages he gave me which included a lot of classifications for solid fuel appliances. low med and high heat. all of the specs called for a 36" setback from combustables and methods to reduce this to 18" . mind you there are exceptions for certain ul? I think, listed appliances, as in follow the instructions for that appliance and that becomes code. Anyways I dont know how many of you folks have gone to your building dept as I dont know how many of you have ended up indoors., but I would as always appreciate any input you all might have on this matter. He did keep remarking on how much insulation is called for in the plans and was pretty positive towards me (maybe he wants some pizza). I know i can work it out with them but would appreciate it if you all could set my angle of attack. fyi this is on a thick slab, floor will be tile before firing(or concrete if I cant wait, and the chinmey will be simpson double wall. He really didnt seem to know what to call it wood stove, masonry fireplace, appliance, other misc work.

Maybe what comes out of this post and the responses to it can be added to the pompeii plans and help others deal with this vauge area of building codes?
Maybe this info is info out there on the site somewhere and I have not been able to find by it searching, if it is. please point me in the right direction.

I will be applying on monday so any /all input would be appreciated. thanks -marc

[dmun]

Re: looking for some code help here

For code issues it's definately a masonry fireplace, and combustible clearance for those (which dont have ANY insulation) is two inches. Now I don't know about your area, but I walk around here and I see exterior cedar shingles, which are approximately as flamable as parafin, butted right up to the brick edge of chimneys. Now for your instalation I think you can keep two inches away from the side wall without any problem. When you go through the ceiling and roof, there are non-combustible fireblocks at every floor level.

The Rumford site has the2006 building code chapter on fireplaces in 1 and 2 family structures, if it's useful.

[CanuckJim]

Re: looking for some code help here

WSP,

I've run into this problem before with installations. The issue is really related to the completeness of the code rather than safety issues with these ovens. Code is written for appliances that radiate heat rather than retain it. Sometimes, it can take quite a while to get an inspector's head around this crucial difference. A pizza oven is not a fireplace, it's not a wood stove, either, so clearances called for in codes really don't apply. Still, here four inches of clearance from combustibles is required. I usually try for six, just to keep everybody happy. Particularly with ceramic batt insulation, this is definite overkill, but so? Just be patient and explain the differences and the amount of insulation and the fact that there is no radiant heat. Far as a stainless chimney is concerned, just follow the same regulations as for a wood stove. Do make it plain, though, that there will be no black pipe used for radiant heat. Heat shields are standard when going through floor and whatnot.

Jim

[widespreadpizza]

Re: looking for some code help here

Hey guys thanks for the help here, I think that I will have to apply in the category of other to get this approved due to the 12" clearance rule applied to fireplaces. I was wondering and cant finda good table or formula for the insulating properties of loose vermiculte and or insulfrax. I want to be able to say to the guy and back up with evidence that if say 3" of insulfrax is used on the outside of the dome,and the inside of the oven reached 1200 degrees, the outside of the blanket or vermiculite layer would only be 150 degrees. numbers are for example only. I have looked on the insulfrax site, and also all over the vermiculite sites. I am guessing that when the first couple ovens were built in this manner, somebody had to figure out how much insulation would be needed. to knopw how this was calculated. Can anyone point me in the right direction. thanks a lot -marc