300.22 please

[websparky]

Hi Guys,

Picture a residential attached garage with living room and such next to it and bedrooms and bathrooms above. Often times the plumbing is enclosed by a soffit at the garage ceiling. To help prevent freezing a forced air duct is routed to this closed soffit area to "take the chill off" the plumbing. There is no return air to the furnace or anywhere else.

The question is this;
Does this soffit now qualify as an area in 300.22 which would restrict the type of wiring methods allowed?

Thanks!

 

[ryan_618]

Re: 300.22 please

Hi Dave. I would say no. The intent of the section is to minimize the amount of noxious gases that could be dispersed in the event of a fire. If the plumbing is plastic, what good would removing the wire do in the big picture?

 

[bphgravity]

Re: 300.22 please

I feel the key word here is "no return air". Article 300.22(C) states that "It does not apply to to habitable rooms or areas of buildings, the prime purpose of which is not air handling." The soffit area you describe may be a part of the air handling system, but is not being used completely for that purpose.