Crawlspace electrical

[upduck]

I am building a home that has a 5 1/2 foot crawlspace with a poured concrete floor. The space was intended to be used for storage and mechanical systems. Accordingly, several wall outlets were installed for items such as a chest freezer, soft water conditioner, audio visual equipment, etc. The inspector says all of these electrical connections have to be removed. I thought that the code requiring an outlet near the furnace and another outlet (GFCI) within 25 feet was a minimum standard not a maximum allowed?

 

[iwire]

The outlets can stay (under the NEC) but they will all have to be GFCI protected, there are no GFCI exceptions for crawl spaces.

See 210.8(A)(4)

 

[tom baker]

What code section does the inspector cite?
Are the receptacles GFCI protected?

 

[George Stolz]

I agree with Tom and Bob. There must be some other reason the inspection failed. Wiring and devices are legal in crawlspaces.

 

[upduck]

She is more concerned that the storage space is looking like living space - with a ceiling height of 5 1/2 feet this is hard to fathom.

 

[iwire]

She is more concerned that the storage space is looking like living space - with a ceiling height of 5 1/2 feet this is hard to fathom.

Well regardless of being a she or a he they can not make up rules that do not exist.

As far as the NEC is concerned you could put a range and dryer outlet in a crawl space.

 

[dlhoule]

She is more concerned that the storage space is looking like living space - with a ceiling height of 5 1/2 feet this is hard to fathom.

I'd suggest you ask your EC to ask for code reference for violation. If she can't cite a code reference there is no violation. I think my wife is looking great but can't cite any proof of this and she sometimes thinks otherwise.