§ 3280.709 - Installation of appliances.

§ 3280.709 Installation of appliances.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 75755, Sept. 16, 2024.

(a) The installation of each appliance must conform to the terms of its listing and the manufacturer's instructions. The manufactured home manufacturer must leave the appliance manufacturer's instructions attached to the appliance. Every appliance must be secured in place to avoid displacement. For the purpose of servicing and replacement, each appliance must be both accessible and removable.

(1) A direct vent space heating appliance is permitted to be shipped loose for on-site installation in a basement provided the following:

(i) The heating appliance is listed for the installation.

(ii) Approved installation instructions are provided that include requirements for completion of all gas and electrical connections and provide for the manufacturer's inspection and/or testing of all connections.

(iii) Approved instructions are provided to assure connection of the vent and combustion air systems in accordance with § 3280.710(b), and to provide for the manufacturer's inspection of the systems for compliance.

(iv) Approved installation and the manufacturer's inspection procedures are provided for the connection of the site-installed heating appliance to the factory-installed circulation air system and return air systems.

(2) The procedures must include revisions to assure compliance of the installed systems with § 3280.715.

(b) Heat-producing appliances shall be so located that no doors, drapes, or other such material can be placed or swing closer to the front of the appliance than the clearances specified on the labeled appliances.

(c) Clearances surrounding heat producing appliances shall not be less than the clearances specified in the terms of their listings.

(1) Prevention of storage. The area surrounding heat producing appliances installed in areas with interior or exterior access shall be framed-in or guarded with noncombustible material such that the distance from the appliance to the framing or guarding material is not greater than three inches unless the appliance is installed in compliance with paragraph (c)(2), of this section. When clearance required by the listing is greater than three inches, the guard or frame shall not be closer to the appliance than the distance provided in the listing.

(2) Clearance spaces surrounding heat producing appliances are not required to be framed-in or guarded when:

(i) A space is designed specifically for a clothes washer or dryer;

(ii) Dimensions surrounding the appliance do not exceed three inches; or

(iii) The manufacturer affixes either to a side of an alcove or compartment containing the appliance, or to the appliance itself, in a clearly visible location, a 3″ × 5″ adhesive backed plastic laminated label or the equivalent which reads as follows:

“Warning”

This compartment is not to be used as a storage area. Storage of combustible materials or containers on or near any appliance in this compartment may create a fire hazard. Do not store such materials or containers in this compartment.

(d) All fuel-burning appliances, except ranges, ovens, illuminating appliances, clothes dryers, solid fuel-burning fireplaces and solid fuel-burning fireplace stoves, shall be installed to provide for the complete separation of the combustion system from the interior atmosphere of the manufactured home. Combustion air inlets and flue gas outlets shall be listed or certified as components of the appliance. The required separation may be obtained by:

(1) The installation of direct vent system (sealed combustion system) appliances, or

(2) The installation of appliances within enclosures so as to separate the appliance combustion system and venting system from the interior atmosphere of the manufactured home. There shall not be any door, removable access panel, or other opening into the enclosure from the inside of the manufactured home. Any opening for ducts, piping, wiring, etc., shall be sealed.

(e) A forced air appliance and its return-air system shall be designed and installed so that negative pressure created by the air-circulating fan cannot affect its or another appliance's combustion air supply or act to mix products of combustion with circulating air.

(1) The air circulating fan of a furnace installed in an enclosure with another fuel-burning appliance shall be operable only when any door or panel covering an opening in the furnace fan compartment or in a return air plenum or duct is in the closed position. This does not apply if both appliances are direct vent system (sealed combustion system) appliances.

(2) If a warm air appliance is installed within an enclosure to conform to § 3280.709(d)(2), each warm-air outlet and each return air inlet shall extend to the exterior of the enclosure. Ducts, if used for that purpose, shall not have any opening within the enclosure and shall terminate at a location exterior to the enclosure.

(3) Cooling coils installed as a portion of, or in connection with, any forced-air furnace shall be installed on the downstream side unless the furnace is specifically otherwise listed.

(4) An air conditioner evaporator section shall not be located in the air discharge duct or plenum of any forced-air furnace unless the manufactured home manufacturer has complied with certification required in § 3280.511.

(5) If a cooling coil is installed with a forced-air furnace, the coil shall be installed in accordance with its listing. When a furnace-coil unit has a limited listing, the installation must be in accordance with that listing.

(6) When an external heating appliance or combination cooling/heating appliance is to be field installed, the home manufacturer shall make provision for proper location of the connections to the supply and return air systems. The manufacturer is not required to provide said appliance(s). The preparation by the manufacturer for connection to the home's supply and return air system shall include all fittings and connection ducts to the main duct and return air system such that the installer is only required to provide:

(i) The appliance;

(ii) Any appliance connections to the home; and

(iii) The connecting duct between the external appliance and the fitting installed on the home by the manufacturer. The above connection preparations by the manufacturer do not apply to supply or return air systems designed only to accept external cooling (i.e., self contained air conditioning systems, etc.)

(7) The installation of a self contained air conditioner comfort cooling appliance shall meet the following requirements:

(i) The installation on a duct common with an installed heating appliance shall require the installation of an automatic damper or other means to prevent the cooled air from passing through the heating appliance unless the heating appliance is certified or listed for such application and the supply system is intended for such an application.

(ii) The installation shall prevent the flow of heated air into the external cooling appliance and its connecting ducts to the manufactured home supply and return air system during the operation of the heating appliance installed in the manufactured home.

(iii) The installation shall prevent simultaneous operation of the heating and cooling appliances.

(f) Vertical clearance above cooking top. Ranges shall have a vertical clearance above the cooking top of not less than 24 inches. (See § 3280.204).

(g) Solid fuel-burning factory-built fireplaces and fireplace stoves listed for use in manufactured homes may be installed in manufactured homes provided they and their installation conform to the following paragraphs. A fireplace or fireplace stove shall not be considered as a heating facility for determining compliance with subpart F.

(1) A solid fuel-burning fireplace or fireplace stove shall be equipped with integral door(s) or shutter(s) designed to close the fireplace or fireplace stove fire chamber opening and shall include complete means for venting through the roof, a combustion air inlet, a hearth extension, and means to securely attach the fireplace or the fireplace stove to the manufactured home structure. The installation shall conform to the following paragraphs (g)(1) (i) to (vii) inclusive:

(i) A listed factory-built chimney designed to be attached directly to the fireplace or fireplace stove shall be used. The listed factory built chimney shall be equipped with and contain as part of its listing a termination device(s) and a spark arrester(s).

(ii) A fireplace or fireplace stove, air intake assembly, hearth extension and the chimney shall be installed in accordance with the terms of their listings and their manufacturer's instructions.

(iii) The combustion air inlet shall conduct the air directly into the fire chamber and shall be designed to prevent material from the hearth dropping onto the area beneath the manufactured home.

(iv) The fireplace or fireplace stove shall not be installed in a sleeping room.

(v) Hearth extension shall be of noncombustible material not less than 3⁄8-inch thick. The hearth shall extend at least 16 inches in front or and at least 8 inches beyond each side of the fireplace or fireplace stove opening. Furthermore the hearth shall extend over the entire surface beneath a fireplace stove and beneath an elevated or overhanging fireplace.

(vi) The label on each solid fuel-burning fireplace and solid fuel-burning fireplace stove shall include the following wording: For use with solid fuel only.

(vii) The chimney shall extend at least three feet above the part of the roof through which it passes and at least two feet above the highest elevation of any part of the manufactured home within 10 feet of the chimney. Portions of the chimney and termination that exceed an elevation of 131⁄2 ft. above ground level may be designed to be removed for transporting the manufactured home.

(h) A corrosion resistant water drip collection and drain pan must be installed under each water heater that will allow water leaking from the water heater to drain to the exterior of the manufactured home, or to a drain.

[40 FR 58752, Dec. 18, 1975. Redesignated at 44 FR 20679, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 44 FR 66195, Nov. 19, 1979; 58 FR 55018, Oct. 25, 1993; 70 FR 72050, Nov. 30, 2005; 86 FR 2523, Jan. 12, 2021]