IMC 802.9 closes the five-part vent series with a simple coordination rule: a door cannot swing too close to an appliance or equipment vent terminal.
Plain-English Highlights
Appliance and equipment vent terminals must be located so that a door cannot swing within 12 inches horizontally of the terminal. The code also prohibits using doorstops or closers to create this clearance - the clearance must come from the permanent layout, not from an adjustable closer, a temporary stop, an operational instruction, or a field-installed accessory that limits the door swing.
For plan review, verify the vent terminal location, the door location, the door swing direction, the full door leaf travel, the horizontal clearance to the terminal, and the coordination between the architectural door schedule and floor plan.
Permit Proof Chain
Vent terminal location identified on the mechanical elevation -> nearby exterior, service, equipment-room, balcony, patio, and access doors identified on the architectural plan -> full door leaf swing plotted, not just the closed-door position -> horizontal clearance from the terminal to the swept path measured -> 12-inch minimum confirmed from the permanent layout alone, without relying on a doorstop, closer, or field accessory -> mechanical and architectural sheets cross-checked for the same door and terminal.
Where To Show It
M-101: terminal location relative to exterior doors. M-501: wall termination and clearance details. A sheets: door location, swing, and exterior elevation. Door schedule: door type and operation. Equipment schedule: venting and termination basis.
**Do** - Measure clearance from the terminal to the full door swing, not just the door frame. - Coordinate vent terminal locations with architectural plans before the terminal location is finalized. - Relocate the terminal or the door where the 12-inch clearance is not met. - Check service, equipment-room, balcony, patio, and exterior-access doors, not only the doors that look obviously close.
**Do Not** - Rely on a doorstop or closer to maintain clearance. - Check only the closed-door position. - Assume the architectural door swing will be revised in the field to clear the terminal. - Review wall vent terminals without checking every nearby door.
Masterbuild QA Lens
Overlay the mechanical terminal plan with the architectural door swings before the set is finalized, not after a field conflict is reported. A terminal shown correctly on M-501 can still fail this section if the nearest door swing was never checked against it - this issue is easy to miss when the vent terminal appears only on the mechanical elevation and the door swing appears only on the architectural plan.
Drawing / Submittal Check
Confirm the door schedule identifies swing direction and full leaf width for every door within a few feet of a vent terminal, then measure the horizontal distance from the terminal to the full swept path of that leaf - not just to the door frame or the closed-door position.
Common Review Risk
A swinging door that enters the 12-inch clearance zone can damage the vent terminal, block or disrupt the discharge path, affect combustion product dispersion, create hot-surface contact concerns, allow exhaust products to enter when the door opens, and cause inspection failure. Because the vent terminal is typically shown only on the mechanical elevation and the door swing only on the architectural plan, this coordination gap routinely reaches inspection undetected.
When To Escalate
Escalate any door swing clearance that depends on a doorstop, closer, or field-installed accessory rather than the permanent layout; any vent terminal added or relocated after the architectural door swings were finalized; and any condition where relocating either the terminal or the door affects egress, accessibility clearances, or another code requirement.
Field Tip
Overlay the mechanical terminal plan with the architectural door swings. If the door leaf enters the 12-inch horizontal clearance zone, the layout needs to change.