/ Field knowledge · IMC 802.9
A doorstop is not a 12-inch clearance.
A door cannot swing within 12 inches horizontally of an appliance or equipment vent terminal. A doorstop or closer does not create that clearance. The layout has to.
Educational 2024 International Mechanical Code (IMC) 802.9 from Daily Code Talk. Confirm the adopted edition. Distinct from termination heights (802.5–802.6) and outdoor-air intake location (401.4). This is not a termination design.
- Measure to the full door-leaf swing — not the frame, not the closed-door position.
- Check service, equipment-room, balcony, patio, and exterior-access doors, not only the door that looks obviously close.
- The 12-inch clearance has to come from the permanent layout. Doorstops, closers, operational instructions, and field-installed accessories do not count.
On the set: overlay the mechanical terminal with the architectural door swings before the location is frozen. A terminal that looks correct on the mechanical elevation still fails if the nearest door swing was never checked against it.
The closer is not a code path
A swinging door in the 12-inch zone can damage the terminal, disrupt discharge, put a hot surface in the path, and let products of combustion into the room when the door opens. Relocate the terminal or the door. Do not assume architecture will “swing it the other way” in the field.
Source: Daily Code Talk — IMC 802.9 · tool: Door-swing screen · heights: 802.5–802.6 · shrouds: 805.7.
What to send
The wall elevation with the terminal, the architectural door swing, and whether this is a service door, patio door, or equipment-room door.
If the door almost hits the termination
Send both sheets. Masterbuild will say whether 802.9 is a 12-inch layout problem — or the terminal also fails height or intake clearance.
Send Project Background+1 (786) 398-6940 · osmany.portal@masterbuildconsulting.com
Masterbuild provides engineering services under a written scope. Nothing on this page is project-specific engineering advice, a code interpretation for your project, or a representation about permit approval. Confirm the adopted edition. The 12-inch figure is 2024 IMC 802.9 education from Daily Code Talk — not a termination layout. This page is not legal advice.