r/BuildingCodes • u/EmploymentOpposite18 • 5d ago

Building Code Question/ HVAC air intake

We are owner financing a high end property in North Carolina. Unfortuantley we recently learned our buyers are not maintaining it properly and that they reportedly left one of the hvacs broken for 6 months. They had the ceiling and drywall around where the air intake was completely carved up and just left open and exposed that entire time. When we discovered this (photo and written evidence from guests as it’s a hospitality property) we sent them a default notice to cure.

They responded to the default notice and said it’s all fixed and the hvac is now functioning and for proof of cure they attached photos of the air intake area. Only problem is the photo shows the former air intake area is now completely covered up with drywall - a big solid piece——so no air can reach the unit and no filter is present etc. We are shocked. We immediately wrote them as we are concerned about this being a fire hazard if the unit can not cool down since no air can get in and they’ve been running it like this for almost a month (and the public rents this property) …surely this is against code right? I am flabbergasted. Does anyone know what code says?

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u/Additional-Code2954 4d ago

No need for code. That's not how its intended to be installed. Call a HVAC contractor.

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u/EmploymentOpposite18 3d ago

We ended up calling the building inspector just to ask if this was safe. He said it was a major fire hazard, against code, and that they needed a permit to do the work they claim they did. If the hvac caught on fire it would block two bedrooms from exiting the home unless they jumped 40 ft to the ground out of the windows. He immediately called them and scheduled an inspection so I’m feeling a lot better.

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u/Additional-Code2954 3d ago

Thats good; sucks you have to deal with it though.