802.2 Connection to Venting Systems — 2025 California Mechanical Code

Except as permitted in Section 802.2.1 through Section 802.2.7, all appliances shall be connected to venting systems. [NFPA 54:12.3.1]

802.2.1 Appliances Not Required to be Vented. The following appliances shall not be required to be vented:

(1) Listed ranges.

(2) Built-in domestic cooking units listed and marked for optional venting.

(3) Listed hot plates.

(4) Listed Type 1 clothes dryers exhausted in accordance with Section 504.4.

(5) A single listed booster-type (automatic instantaneous) water heater, when designed and used solely for the sanitizing rinse requirements of a dishwashing machine, provided that the appliance is installed with the draft hood in place and unaltered, if a draft hood is required, in a commercial kitchen having a mechanical exhaust system. [Where installed in this manner, the draft hood outlet shall not be less than 36 inches (914 mm) vertically and 6 inches (152 mm) horizontally from any surface other than the appliance.]

(6) Listed refrigerators.

(7) Counter appliances.

(8) Room heaters listed for unvented use.

(9) Direct gas-fired makeup-air heaters.

(10)Other appliances listed for unvented use and not provided with flue collars.

(11)Specialized appliances of limited input such as laboratory burners or gas lights. [NFPA 54:12.3.2]

802.2.2 Maximum Input Rating. Where any or all of the appliances in Section 802.2.1(5) through Section 802.2.1(11) are installed so the aggregate input rating exceeds 20 Btu/h/ft [3] (207 W/m [3] ) of room or space in which it is installed, one or more shall be provided with venting systems or other approved means for conveying the vent gases to the outdoors so that the aggregate input rating of the remaining unvented appliances does not exceed 20 Btu/h/ft [3] (207 W/m [3] ). [NFPA 54:12.3.2.1]

802.2.3 Adjacent Room or Space. Where the calculation includes the volume of an adjacent room or space, the room or space in which the appliances are installed shall be directly connected to the adjacent room or space by a doorway, archway, or other opening of comparable size that cannot be closed. [NFPA 54:12.3.2.2]

802.2.4 Ventilating Hoods. The use of ventilating hoods and exhaust systems to vent appliances shall be limited to industrial appliances and appliances installed in commercial applications. [NFPA 54:12.3.3]

802.2.5 Well-Ventilated Spaces. The flue gases from industrial-type appliances shall not be required to be vented to the outdoors where such gases are discharged into a large and well-ventilated industrial space. [NFPA 54:12.3.4]

802.2.6 Direct Vent Appliances. Listed direct vent appliances shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions. [NFPA 54:12.3.5.1]

802.2.6.1 Through-the-Wall Vent Terminations. Through-the-wall vent terminations for listed direct vent appliances shall be in accordance with Section 802.8.1. [NFPA 54:12.3.5.2]

802.2.7 Appliances with Integral Vents. Appliances incorporating integral venting means shall be installed in accordance with Section 802.8.1. [NFPA 54:12.3.6]

802.2.8 Incinerators, Commercial–Industrial. Incinerators shall be vented in accordance with NFPA 82.

[NFPA 54:12.3.7]