ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-1994, Safety Code For Mechanical Refrigeration

Request from: Ken Buwalda, Operations Manager, Lindstrom Air Conditioning, Inc., 6601 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073

Reference: This request refers to paragraph 8.12.3 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 15-1994.

Background: A 3-story apartment building has closet-mounted air handling units with roof-mounted condensing units. The refrigerant used is R-22 with no system having more than 8 pounds of refrigerant charge. A continuous gas-tight fire resistive shaft runs form the 1^st floor to the roof. The shaft is vented to atmosphere via a roof vent. The shaft contains refrigerant piping, water piping, electrical conduit and a 26 gauge galvanized sealed bathroom exhaust riser. All penetrations through the fire resistive shaft are sealed with fire caulk.

Question 1: Is the gas-tight fire resistive duct required by 8.12.3 (d) prohibited from containing other than refrigerant piping?

Answer 1: No.

Comment: ASHRAE 15-1994, 8.12.3 (d) imposes no restriction barring water piping, electrical conduit, or exhaust risers in the shaft. It does require that floor penetrations be "enclosed by an approved gas-tight fire resistive duct or shaft?". Section 3 defines the word "approved".