CPSC Proposes New Product Safety Standard for Residential Gas Furnaces, Boilers
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is proposing a new product safety standard for residential gas furnaces and boilers that would require the appliances to monitor carbon dioxide levels and modulate or cut off combustion if they get too high. Comments are due Dec. 26.
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The proposed rule, published Oct. 25, also would set testing and performance requirements for residential gas furnaces and boilers. The proposed requirements would take effect 18 months after publication of a final rule establishing the standard. The proposed standard would apply to furnaces and boilers that meet the following definitions:
Gas Central Furnace: A gas-burning appliance that heats air by the transfer of heat of combustion through a heat exchanger and supplies heated air through ducts to spaces remote from or adjacent to the appliance location.
Gas Floor Furnace: A furnace suspended between the floor joists of the space being heated. A floor furnace provides direct heating of the room in which it is located and to adjacent rooms.
Gas Steam and Hot Water Boiler: A gas burning appliance that heats steam at a pressure not exceeding 15 psi (100 kPa), or hot water at a pressure not exceeding 160 psi (1100 kPa) and at a temperature not exceeding 250 °F (121 °C). The heated steam or water is pumped to spaces remote from or adjacent to the appliance location through piping to radiators, where the heat of combustion is transferred to heat the air around the radiator.
Gas Wall Furnace: A gas appliance installed within a wall that provides heated air directly to the room in which it is installed and to adjacent rooms through grilles.
CPSC said existing industry standards for gas furnaces and boilers “are inadequate to address the hazards” identified by the agency.
The proposed rule includes stockpiling provisions that would prohibit the manufacture or importation of noncompliant products at a rate that is greater than 106% of the base period (which is based on pre-final rule volume) in the first 12 months after promulgation, and 112.50% of the base period for the duration of 12 months after promulgation until the effective date.