Daily Code Talk #25 — IMC 304: Installation (Part 3)

Refs: IMC 304.6–304.12; IMC 308; IBC; NFPA 30A.🧠 Plain English Highlights•304.6 Public garages: Mount appliances 8 ft or higher above floor. If vehicles pass below, meet MI clearances and set the unit 1 ft above the tallest garage door opening. Exception path: allow with impact protection and 304.3, plus NFPA 30A.•304.7 Private garages/carports: Mount 6 ft or higher above floor; or use impact protection and 304.3.•“Installed per 304.3”: Treat rooms opening to a private garage as garage; put ignition sources 18 in or higher, or use an FVIR-listed appliance allowed at floor by its listing/MI; keep MI on site.•304.8 Boiler/furnace rooms: Provide IBC construction/protection.•304.9 Clearances to combustibles: Keep clearances per listing/MI; reduce only via IMC 308 (no doorstops/closers/drapery ties).•304.10 Clearances From grade: Support on a level slab 3 in above adjacent grade, or suspend 6 in above grade.•304.11 Guards (roofs/edges): If service points or roof hatches are within 10 ft of an edge with a drop over 30 in, provide guards 42 in high, blocking a 21-in sphere, extending 30 in past each end; meet IBC loads.•304.12 Area served: Permanently mark appliances that serve areas beyond the room they’re in (unique ID + area served).🏗️ Why It MattersThese are frequent inspection gates: garage heights, misused impact-protection path (without 304.3/NFPA 30A), missing IBC room protection, bad combustible clearances, pads poured too low, missing roof guards, and unlabeled “area served.” Each one means holds and rework.🧾 Where To Show It (sheet map)•M-001: Note 8-ft public / 6-ft private rules; impact-protection + 304.3 path (and NFPA 30A where public); IBC boiler/furnace protection; 3-in slab / 6-in suspend; roof guard criteria; area-served marking.•M-101+ (Plans): Dimension heights above floor; show impact protection; outline roof guard extents; annotate pad elevation; place area-served IDs.•M-501/502 (Details): Garage mounting/elevation; impact protection; roof guard (note IBC loads); IMC 308 shields; grade pad.•M-601 (Schedules): Mounting Height; Impact Protection (Y/N); Roof Guard (Y/N); Clearance to Combustibles—MI page; Pad Elevation (+in); Area Served.🔧 Quick Field Tip•Public garage: pick and state one path: 8-ft mount; vehicle-pass path (MI clearances and +1 ft above tallest door); or impact protection + 304.3 with NFPA 30A.•Private garage: 6-ft mount or impact protection + 304.3.•Grade/roof: show the +3-in slab (or 6-in suspension) and guard height/extent/load note.•Labeling: mark the area served on the unit and in the schedule.Comment “IMC 304” for the one-page Part-3 insert (details + schedule fields + inspection checklist).DM “ADVISORY” for a quick plan-review sweep.