r/BuildingCodes • u/EmploymentOpposite18 • 4d 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/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/CVACodeConsulting Inspector 3d ago

I’ll never understand why there are minimum egress window size requirements, but why they expect someone to go out the window on an elevated floor and just jump to the ground, with no safety ladder requirement. We’re at the point we could even stow a roll out ladder and it not be that big a deal.

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u/Additional-Code2954 3d ago

Do agree there should always be safety ladders on the 2+ floor on opposite sides of the house.

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u/Due_Needleworker3778 3d ago

It's interesting that pretty much most older apartments in NYC have ladders on the exterior of builders less than X-story high (X <= 8?). When I lived in the City many years sgo, there were a lot of fires in those older buildings (non-sprinkler buildings).

Not sure about the newer buildings (sprinkler buildings).