Residential Garages

[abe72487]

I am concerned if a residential garage in a dwelling unit is classified as hazardous and therefore the the receptacles are to be 18 inches off of the finished floor or not? This has come up where we have a natural gas water heater in the garage area and has an open flame on the pilot. I wojuld appreciate input.

 

[Rockyd]

In Alaska (where most people do use natural gas for heating source) it is an addendum to the code that receptacle shall be at least 18" above the floor. Hot water heater, and furnace are commonly installed in the garage. one wants to be smart about fire alarm/CO detector placement in regard to places with gas-fired appliances, to avoid false positives.

Then again, another addendum is a dedicated circuit must be ran for a headbolt heater too (that's for the car's with plugs sticking out the front, for various engine/vehicle heaters in cold country)

 

[jack horner]

I am concerned if a residential garage in a dwelling unit is classified as hazardous and therefore the the receptacles are to be 18 inches off of the finished floor or not? This has come up where we have a natural gas water heater in the garage area and has an open flame on the pilot. I wojuld appreciate input.

No requirement in the NEC for residential garages but for some reason some try to apply this:
3) Lubrication or Service Room Where Class I Liquids or Gaseous Fuels (Such as Natural Gas, Hydrogen, or LPG) Are Transferred The following spaces that are not designed in accordance with 511.3(A)(5) shall be classified as follows:
(1) Up to a Level of 450 mm (18 in.) Above the Floor. For each floor, the entire area up to a level of 450 mm (18 in.) above the floor shall be a Class I, Division 2 location.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I concur there is no requirement in the NEC for height of receptacles in a residential garage. It is not a hazardous location no more than a crawl space would be if the water heater and furnace were installed there.

Typically I install the receptacles in a garage at 43 of the floor simply because people often build a work bench and who wants to bend down to the garage floor to plug things in. No reason to be low.

 

[infinity]

No requirement in the NEC for residential garages but for some reason some try to apply this:
3) Lubrication or Service Room Where Class I Liquids or Gaseous Fuels (Such as Natural Gas, Hydrogen, or LPG) Are Transferred The following spaces that are not designed in accordance with 511.3(A)(5) shall be classified as follows:
(1) Up to a Level of 450 mm (18 in.) Above the Floor. For each floor, the entire area up to a level of 450 mm (18 in.) above the floor shall be a Class I, Division 2 location.

You'll have a hard time selling me the notion that a residential garage is a lubrication or service room.

 

[joe tedesco]

Residential Storage Garages

Residential Storage Garages

I just looked at a 1953 NEC and found an Article 510 - Specific Occupancies that included the following:

Residential Storage Garages

Section 5110

I also believe that in a newer NEC edition, 1962?, or 1965? that there was an Article 512 that covered residential garages also, just as heads up.

PS: I think that the subject of a receptacle in the floor of a garage was discussed somewhere on the Internet on a bulletin board, maybe ICC? where there was a long discussion.

 

[mayjong]

nothing in the NEC, but the water heater IS required to be 18" off the floor (actually, the source of ignition is...)
funny thing is, even an electric water heater needs to be 18" up....