Clearance distance specifications & codes for building features, components, equipment from air conditioners to woodstove.

Index to sources of clearance distances or separation space requirements at residential & light commercial properties.

This article provides an index to detailed specifications of clearance distances for components & features found on residential & commercial sites, such as clearance distances for air conditioners, electrical wiring, LP gas tanks, oil storage tanks, septic system components, water wells, electrical components, electrical service entry, chimneys, and other features.

Building Clearance Distance Guides

The building code, standard & inspection articles below provide separation distances between various building features & systems.

• CLEARANCE DISTANCES for BUILDING SYSTEMS & FEATURES - home - you are on this page
• AIR CONDITIONER HEAT PUMP CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• A/C CLEARANCE DISTANCE to PROPERTY LINES
• ATTIC STAIR CODES & HAZARDS - clearance distances, access requirements

• BATHROOM VENTILATION CODES SPECS - bath vent fan & duct clearances
  • BATHROOM VENT CLEARANCES
  • BATHROOM VENT DUCT LENGTHS - discusses clearance from bath exhaust opening to AC units
• BASEBOARD HEAT REPAIR - clearance from floor
• BOILER CLEARANCE DISTANCES - fire safety & working distances
• BUILDING CODES re DANGEROUS CONDITIONS
• BUILDING CODE DOWNLOADS - free downloadable PDF files of building codes & standards
• B-VENT & L-VENT HEIGHT REQUIRED
• B-VENT CEILING FLOOR WALL CLEARANCES
• B-VENT ROOFTOP CLEARANCE

 

• CHIMNEY HEIGHT & CLEARANCE CODE - height & horizontal clearance codes & specifications for masonry & metal chimneys
• CHIMNEY CLEANOUT CLEARANCE to COMBUSTIBLES - required distance between a chimney cleanout door and the nearest combustible material?
• CHIMNEY CLEARANCE & CONDITION SAFETY
• CHIMNEY CLEARANCE to NEIGHBORS - complaints about smoke, odors, soot from a neighboring chimney
• CHIMNEY CODES & STANDARDS - home
• CHIMNEY HEIGHT & CLEARANCE CODE
• CHIMNEY HEIGHT for Types L & Type B Vents
• CHIMNEY HEIGHT EXTENSIONS
• CHIMNEY RAIN CAP VENT OPENING SIZE - clearance distance between chimney rain cap top and flue opening top
• CLEARANCE DISTANCE, HVAC - distances required for working space or proper air flow or fire safety at heating and cooling equipment

• CLOSET LIGHTING FIRE SAFETY - clearance distances from closet lighting to shelving, clothes,etc
• CLOTHES DRYER VENT CLEARANCES & TERMINATION
• COMPRESSOR / CONDENSER INSTALLATION ERRORS - Air conditioner compressor installation errors, improper location or out of level
• COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER SHADE BENEFITS? - build a shade roof over the condenser unit?
• CRAWL SPACE ACCESS - required dimensions, space, safety
• CRAWL SPACES includes crawl space clearances
• CRAWL SPACES, MOBILE HOME - space, access

 

• DIRECT VENT GAS APPLIANCE CLEARANCES
• DIRECT VENTS / SIDE WALL VENT CLEARANCES - fire safety distances from vent to building features
• DRYWELL / SEEPAGE PIT SPECIFICATIONS - clearance distances

 

• ELECTRIC GENERATOR CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• ELECTRIC LIGHT SPACING GUIDE for LIGHT FIXTURES - spacing & layout of light fixture
• ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE HEIGHT & CLEARANCES - how to properly locate wall receptacles above the floor; clearance distances
• ELECTRIC PANEL WORKING SPACE - clearance distances around the electrical panel
• ELECTRICAL RECESSED LIGHT CLEARANCES - airspace requirements for down lights or recessed lights. Clearance spacing for recessed light fixtures: distances, codes. Air leakage code requirements for recessed lights, downlights. Effects of recessed light location on clearance distances
• ELECTRICAL RECESSED LIGHT HOUSINGS GUIDE - recessed light (pot lights) housings & clearance or spacing distances, codes;
• ELECTRICAL RECEPTCALE WIRE CLEARANCE DISTANCES - electrical wire clearance distances or separation requirements from ducts, pipes & other building components
• ELECTRICAL RECEPTACLE HEIGHT & CLEARANCES
• ELECTRICAL SERVICE WIRE CLEARANCES - clearances to building roof, windows, other features
• ELECTRICAL WIRE CLEARANCE FROM DUCTS & PIPES


• ELEVATE OIL or GAS BURNER 18" ABOVE GARAGE FLOOR - IRC Requirement


• EMF MEASUREMENT DISTANCE AFFECTS STRENGTH - clearance distance to power lines impacts EMF measurements

 

• FIRE CLEARANCES, FLUE VENT CONNECTORS
• FIRE CLEARANCES INDOORS - clearances from combustibles for various fire sources or threats including at chimneys
• FIRE CLEARANCES, MASONRY CHIMNEYS
• FIRE CLEARANCES, METAL CHIMNEYS - Minimum clearances from combustibles
• FIRE CLEARANCES, SINGLE WALL METAL FLUES & VENTS - clearance from combustibles required for flue vent connectors
• FIRE CLEARANCES, WOOD & COAL STOVE FLUES
• FIREPLACE CHIMNEY ROOF CLEARANCE
• FIREPLACE INSPECTIONS - fireplace clearances
• FIREPLACE INSPECTION PRE-FAB - factory-built fireplaces, zero clearance fireplaces

• FLUE SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS
• FURNACE CLEARANCE DISTANCES - fire safety & working distances

 

• GAS APPLIANCE / HEATER DIRECT VENT CLEARANCES
• GAS FIREPLACE VENT CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
• GAS METER CODES & CLEARANCE DISTANCES - distances from the gas meter to other site features - includes clearance distances to electrical wiring & conduit
• GAS PIPING CLEARANCES, CODES & DEFECTS - clearances for gas piping
• GAS TANKS, LP - clearance distances for LP gas tanks above ground or buried LP tanks


• HEATING BOILER CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• HEATING FURNACE INSPECTION GUIDE - clearance distances
• HVAC CLEARANCE DISTANCES - air conditioners, heat pumps
• HVAC CLEARANCE DISTANCE TO WINDOWS, DOORS, OCCUPIED SPACES

 

• L-VENT & B-VENT HEIGHT REQUIRED

 

• METAL CHIMNEY FLUE SEPARATION CODES
• METAL CHIMNEYS: Triple-Wall Metal Fireplace Chimneys used with fireplace inserts or zero-clearance fireplaces?
• METAL FLUES _ SINGLE WALL METAL FLUES & VENT FIRE CLEARANCES
• MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS

 

• OIL FILL & VENT PIPING CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• OIL TANK ABOVEGROUND INDOOR - CLEARANCE DISTANCES - above ground indoor oil tank clearance distances
• OIL TANK ABOVEGROUND OUTDOOR - CLEARANCE DISTANCES & LOCATIONS - above ground outdoor oil tank clearance distances
• OIL TANK FILL-VENT PIPE CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• OIL TANK INSPECTION & TROUBLESHOOTING - clearance distances to above ground oil storage tanks & buried oil tanks
• OIL TANK INSTALLATION, CLEARANCES, PIPING, PROTECTION REGULATIONS

 

• OUTHOUSES & LATRINES - clearance distances

 

• PELLET STOVE CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• PLUMBING VENT CLEARANCE DISTANCE CODES
• PLUMBING VENT CODES, DEFINITIONS, TYPES - plumbing vent clearance distances to building roof, vertical walls, nearby windows, or plumbing vent distance to chimneys
• PROTECTION BOLLARDS for MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

 

• RECESSED LIGHT CLEARANCES

 

• SEPTIC SYSTEM CLEARANCE DISTANCES - septic tank, drainfields, leachfield, soakbed, cesspool distances from site features
  • DISTANCE TO SEPTIC TANK - how to measure distance from house to septic tank
  • GARDENS NEAR SEPTICS- how far away from septic components should we locate a garden
  • LAGOON SEPTIC SYSTEMS - require extra clearance distance from wells, streams, lakes &c
  • NEIGHBORING SEPTIC SYSTEM PROBLEMS - setbacks and clearances for septic systems Septic distances to other site features
  • PLANTS & TREES OVER SEPTIC SYSTEMS - how far away must shrubs & trees be from septic components
  • SEPTIC to POOL DISTANCE - Setbacks and clearances between swimming pools and septic system tanks or drainfields
  • SEPTIC TANK DEPTH - usual septic tank depth below the ground surface
• SIDING CLEARANCE TO GROUND
• STAIR DIMENSIONS, WIDTH, HEIGHT - Stair, railing, guardrail, landing, tread, and step specifications & dimension requirements . Stair & railing clearances, gaps, measurements
  • ATTIC STAIR CODES & HAZARDS - clearance distances, access requirements
  • GUARDRAIL CODES & STANDARDS - stair landing, porch, deck & walkway guardrail specifications & codes including clearance distances, open spaces, dimensions, heights
  • HANDRAILS & HANDRAILINGS - clearances, distances, spaces
  • STAIR HEADROOM - Stair headroom or overhead clearance specifications & codes
  • STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
  • STAIRWAY CHAIR LIFTS

• TOILET CLEARANCE DISTANCES

• WALL-MOUNTED FURNACE CLEARANCES
• WATER HEATER CLEARANCE DISTANCES
• WATER HEATER SAFETY inspection checklist
• WELL CLEARANCE DISTANCES - well distance from septic & other site features
  • DRILLED WELLS, STEEL CASINGS - clearance distance of submersible pump from bottom of well
  • FOOT VALVES, WELL PIPING - clearance from bottom of well
  • SUBMERSIBLE PUMP - clearances
• WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE ROOF CLEARANCE

...

Continue reading at BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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Recommended Articles

• BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS
• FORENSIC INVESTIGATION of BUILDINGS

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