Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
304.1 General.304.0 Accessibility for Service. Appliances shall be located with respect to
California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
building construction and other equipment so as to permit access to the appliance. Sufficient clearance shall be maintained to permit cleaning of heating surfaces; the replacement of filters, blowers, motors, burners, controls, and vent connections; the lubrication of moving parts where necessary; the adjustment and cleaning of burners and pilots; and the proper functioning of explosion vents, where provided. For attic installation, the passageway and servicing area adjacent to the appliance shall be floored. [NFPA 54:9.2.1]
Unless otherwise specified, not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in depth, width, and height of working space shall be provided. Exception: A platform shall not be required for unit heaters or room heaters.
Get a plain-English answer with a citation back to this text.
Ask AI about this code▸Contents — California Mechanical Code (Title 24, Part 4)
- Chapter 1 — GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS
- Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
▸Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
Overview- 301.2 Approval. Equipment or appliance shall be approved
- 301.3 Design of Equipment. Installers shall furnish satisfacto…
- 301.4 Electrical Connections. For equipment regulated
- 301.5 Oil-Burning Appliances. The tank, piping, and
- 301.6 Personnel Protection. A metal guard shall be provided ar…
- 302.0 Materials – Standards and Alternates.302.1 Minimum Stand…
- 302.2 Alternate Materials and Methods of Construc-tion Equival…
- 302.3 Alternative Engineered Design. An alternative
- 303.2 Closet or Alcove Installations. Central heating
- 303.3 Unlisted Appliances. Except as otherwise permitted in th…
- 303.4 Anchorage of Appliances. Appliances designed to
- 303.5 Movement. Movement of appliances with casters
- 303.6 Identification of Equipment. Where more than one
- 303.7 Liquefied Petroleum Gas Facilities. Containers,
- 303.8 Appliances on Roofs. Appliances on roofs shall be
- 303.9 Avoiding Strain on Gas Piping. Appliances shall
- 303.10 Clearances. Appliances and their vent connectors
- 303.11 Installation in Commercial Garages. Appliances installe…
- 303.12 Installation in Aircraft Hangars. Heaters in aircraft h…
- 303.13 Pit Location. Where excavation is necessary to install
- 304.1 General.304.0 Accessibility for Service. Appliances shal…
- 304.2 Sloped Roof. Where equipment or appliances that
- 304.3 Access to Appliances on Roofs. Appliances
- 304.4 Appliances in Attics and Under-Floor Spaces.
- 305.3 Elevator Shaft. Unless required for the functionality
- 305.4 Drainage Pan. Where a water heater is located in an
- 305.0 Location.305.1 Installation in Garages. Appliances in re…
- 305.2 Flood Hazard Areas. For buildings located in flood
- 306.0 Automatic Control Devices.306.1 General. Heating applian…
- 307.0 Labeling.307.1 Fuel-Burning Appliances. Fuel-burning hea…
- 307.2 Electric Heating Appliances. Electric heating
- 307.3 Heat Pump and Electric Cooling Appliances.
- 307.4 Absorption Units. Absorption units shall bear a permanen…
- 309.2 Concealing Imperfections. It shall be unlawful to
- 309.3 Installation Practices. Mechanical systems shall
- 310.0 Condensate Wastes and Control.310.1 Condensate Disposal.…
- 310.2 Condensate Control. Where an equipment or appliance is i…
- 310.4 Appliance Condensate Drains. Condensate drain
- 310.5 Point of Discharge. Air-conditioning condensate
- 310.6 Condensate Waste From Air-ConditioningCoils. Where the c…
- 310.7 Plastic Fittings. Female plastic screwed fittings shall
- 310.3 Condensate Waste Pipe Material and Sizing.
- 311.2 Air Filters. Air filters shall be installed in a heating,
- 311.3 Prohibited Source. Outside or return air for a heating
- 313.2 Material. Hangers and anchors shall be of sufficient
- 313.3 Suspended Piping. Suspended piping or tubing
- 313.4 Alignment. Piping or tubing shall be supported in such
- 313.5 Underground Installation. Piping or tubing in the
- 313.6 Hanger Rod Sizes. Hanger rod sizes shall be not
- 313.7 Gas Piping. Gas piping shall be supported by metal
- 314.0 Balancing.314.1 General. Heating, ventilating, and air-c…
- 311.4 Return-Air Limitations. Return air from one dwelling
- 315.0 Louvers in Hurricane Prone Regions.315.1 General. Louver…
- 316.2 Installation. Piping or tubing shall be installed so that
- 316.3 Corrosion, Erosion, and Mechanical Damage. Piping or tub…
- 316.4 Protectively Coated Pipe. Protectively coated pipe
- 316.5 Fire-Resistant Construction. Piping, tubing, and
- 316.6 Steel Nail Plates. Plastic piping or tubing, copper
- 316.7 Sleeves. Sleeves shall be provided to protect piping
- 316.8 Firewalls. A pipe sleeve through a firewall shall have
- 316.9 Structural Members. A structural member weakened or impa…
- 316.10 Rodentproofing. Mechanical system shall be constructed …
- 316.11 Metal Collars. In or on buildings where openings
- 317.1 Trenches. 317.0 Trenching, Excavation, and Backfill. Tre…
- 317.2 Tunneling and Driving. Tunneling and driving shall
- 317.3 Open Trenches. Excavations required to be made for
- 317.4 Excavations. Excavations shall be completely backfilled …
- 318.2 Services/Systems and Utilities. Refer to Section
- 319.1 Requirements for Hospitals and Optional Serv-
- 319.2 Requirements for Skilled Nursing, Intermedi-
- 320.1 Requirements for Hospitals and Optional Serv-
- 320.2 Requirements for Skilled Nursing, Intermedi-
- 320.3 Requirements for Outpatient Facilities and
- 320.5 Psychiatric Services. [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 4 & 5 ] For proje…
- 321.1 (Does not apply to OSHPD 3 surgical clinic.) All heat-
- 321.2 All heating equipment necessary to maintain the min-
- 321.3 Equipment necessary for humidification of the areas
- 321.4 All supply, return, and exhaust fans required to maintain
- 321.5 All control components and control systems necessary
- 321.6 Alarms for airborne infection isolation rooms and pro-
- 322.1 The following conditions shall be met for sensitive
- Chapter 4 — VENTILATION AIR
- Chapter 5 — EXHAUST SYSTEMS
- Chapter 6 — DUCT SYSTEMS
- Chapter 7 — COMBUSTION AIR
- Chapter 8 — CHIMNEYS AND VENTS
- Chapter 9 — INSTALLATION OF SPECIFIC APPLIANCES
- Chapter 10 — BOILERS AND PRESSURE VESSELS
- Chapter 11 — REFRIGERATION
- Chapter 12 — HYDRONICS
- Chapter 13 — FUEL GAS PIPING
- Chapter 14 — PROCESS PIPING
- Chapter 15 — SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
- Chapter 16 — STATIONARY POWER PLANTS
- Chapter 17 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
- Appendix A — RESIDENTIAL PLAN EXAMINER REVIEW FORM FOR HVAC SY…
- Appendix B — PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED TO PLACE GAS EQUIPMENT …
- Appendix C — INSTALLATION AND TESTING OF OIL (LIQUID) FUEL-FIR…
- Appendix D — FUEL SUPPLY: MANUFACTURED/MOBILE HOME PARKS AND R…
- Appendix E — SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
- Appendix F — SIZING OF VENTING SYSTEMS AND OUTDOOR COMBUSTION …
- Appendix G — EXAMPLE CALCULATION OF OUTDOOR AIR RATE