Air Infiltration/Exfiltration in Attic Space

[rcwaszak]

A friend just purchased a newly built condo in a 3 unit building and is experiencing cooking odors from one of the other units (3rd unit is not yet occupied). The living units have separate gas forced hot air furnaces and each living unit has a separate gas water heater located in a utility closet which has a single fresh air intake that vents to/from the ventilated attic space over each living unit. The attic spaces are supposed to be firewalled and built to "code".

1) I have examined the attic and found some areas of the firewall that need to be sealed but I'm wondering what the code says about odor penetration.

2) All the living units have "air-tight" recessed lighting cans - how effective are they at sealing out odors from penetrating the attic space?

3) In the living unit in question there is a draft from the attic space into the utility room when the heating fan unit is running; this could be the possible souce of the odor infiltration.

Note that this is a very large development by a large well known builder and has a one year "guarantee".

My question: What can I do to make certain that the construction people will properly address this issue? My concern is that they will make a minimum effort rather than investigating and fixing the problem.

Thanks, RC

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Your condition and description of it brings up several interesting possibilities and arrangements.

Being as it is a "condo" that means it is "one structure" and the "condo" is typically only 'the space' within that structure, with the structure being a common structure with all other condos.

Are the condos side-by-side-by-side like townhouses extending from ground floor to the attic, or are the condos stacked one-over-another like you would find with apartments? Having access to an attic creates other potential 'not-good' aspects to your description.

Each design has its own intricacies and requirements, both require fire separation, only in different places.

The codes do not regulate "odor" per se, but the air which transmits the odors would not be intentional and would be intentionally unwanted.

Would you fill in the blanks and describe the building the condo is in, and whether it extends from ground floor to attic or is stacked one above another?

That information will help eliminate some potential 'what ifs'.

[rcwaszak]

Thanks for your reply Jerry.
Let me see if I can verbalize a picture of this building. It is a 2-story structure consisting of 2 vertical living units backed by 3 double garages with a living unit above the garages. Another way of picturing the structure would be to visualize 3 double garages connected side-by-side with two 2-story living units behind the garages and the 3rd living unit above the garages.

The unit we are talking about is the one over the garages. This unit has 9-foot ceilings and an attic space high enough to stand in with room to spare at the peak. The gas forced air furnace is installed in the attic space. The gas hot water heater is installed in a 2 1/2 x 3 foot utility closet on the living level and has combustion gases vented through the roof via 4" pipe; the ventilation air is via a single 6" pipe exiting the utility room near the ceiling and terminating in the ventilated attic (I'm not thrilled by this but I have seen where it is acceptable per code in some areas and I'll check it specifically for my location.)

I will have the "warranty" people here to check all this out but I want to know what I can do to better my chances of getting things fixed correctly. Should I hire a private inspector to do a thorough check of the HVAC system ("smoke" test and whatever else he can do) and the structural workmanship to ascertain the cause of the infiltration? Or, trust that the "warranty" people will take the time to get it right?

thanks, rc

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

[rcwaszak]

(RC, I apologize for messing your post up, I thought I was quoting your post for my post below and some how got into the edit mode from being the administrator. My apologies. Below is what I quoted, the rest I inadvertently deleted as I thought I was making a new post in response.

Yikes! Again, I apologize.

If you would, click on edit and correct as much of the information below as you can remember. In the process of my error I deleted your city, but I remember you were in Colorado.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe the plans show the ceiling being one-hour fire-rated; would non-enclosed, "air-tight" cans satisfy that requirement?

I've looked at the architect plans for this place and they call for the standard one vent high, one vent low (both through the roof) in the confined space of the water heater closet.

However, I have seen code references (via web searches) regarding a single high vent terminated in a ventilated attic space.

Is a builder required to meet all requirements specified on the architect's drawings or can the builder make modifications as long as the various local codes are met?

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

[rcwaszak]

Thanks again Jerry,

The location is Arvada,Colorado 80007 (just northwest of Denver); if you can refer an experienced inspector we might need some help in dealing with the "warranty" repair people.

I won't try to reconstruct my last post - not too sure what I had written. I was talking to the on-site construction supervisor today and he seemed concerned about the ventilation issues. We shall see how he addresses the problem.

One (big) thing that I forgot to mention was that this place has a fire sprinkler system which probably impacts the fire ratings. Can you shed any light on that?

Thanks and Happy New Year, rc

[rcwaszak]

Actions taken over last 6 weeks:

1) drywall crew taped and mudded attic space; not an easy task in a completed structure.

2) I weatherstripped utility room door and threshhold.

3) I sealed all accessible joints on attic-installed hot air furnace.

Results: air quality better, BUT still detect some cooking odors from other unit.

Not sure what to do next:

1) get used to it.

2) have HVAC people come in and redo furnace connections.

3) move . . .

4) open to other suggestions.

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]