Hello,
It sounds like your installer is at the bottom of the ladder. Either sue the installer or hire a competent installer to fix the problem then sue the original installer. This is a problem with the typical large HVAC company. They think they know everything, then send unskilled labor paid a minimum wage, to do the most important part of the installation. The smaller company, where the owner also does the installation, is usually much better. But then you have a problem with warrantees.

I don't know about how things are done in Oregon but here in NH an inspection is done "after" the installation is complete. This way no inspector can say "they may have been planning to do this anyway" Codes are different in each part of the country and its possible your contractors aren't familiar with the codes in your particular area. It's their responsibility to find out. I would suspect he is concerned about something which can cause auto exhaust fumes being drawn into your heating system as it sits presently. Let the HVAC company deal with it and make it right so the inspector signs it off. Now your covered.

"Either sue the installer or hire a competent installer to fix the problem then sue the original installer"
For crying out loud bob, what the hell kind of answer is that?!!!! Sue the contractor!! Just what kind kind of person are you running to a lawyer right away? The inspection failed,, OK, nobodys dead, give the company a change to correct the issue. Some idiots here jump in my crap to defend you. Maybe the advice you just contributed here will help explain why you have very little credibility with me. Another doozie bob brown!!!!!

lawsuit? sounds kinda extreme to me at this point.

as mr.havac said if the inspector failed the install the installing contractor has to make it right.
im not understanding how the furnace is getting in the way of sheetrock. the sheetrock shouldve been installed before the furnace. is this in a garage closet and the installer put the furnace in before the sheetrockers got done? pictures (if you have any) would help. around here we get rough-in (mainly ductwork)inspections first then final inspections after everything (drywall,painting etc)is done.

Installing a furnace is very simple. Do a sequence of work the same way every time. Drywall after the furnace, in what alternate universe? For as long as I can imagine, the walls are completed before the equipment is installed. An installer that does it different needs to go to jail for his stupidity. If the HO forced the installation, the HO should go to jail for forcing the issue. It just ain't right.

I don't have pictures tonight but I will snap some tomorrow. We looked at quite a few houses here in the building stage and they all put the equipment in the garage (main part-no closet) sometime during the framing stage. In our case it appears that the equipment was installed too close to the garage wall to be able to get the sheetrock installed. In Oregon, at least our neck of the woods, the heat pumps are outside and the furnace, filters and blowers are in the garage. The inspector mentioned "fire wall" when he was talking about the alternatives. I gathered that it was OK to have the equipment open in the garage but there needed to be 2 layers of sheathing between the garage and the house,ie inside sheetrock and garage sheetrock or OSB in the garage. I probable just confused yall even more with my poor understanding and explanations. Maybe tomorrows pics will help. But thanks for the info.

Laura

Most equipment requires a space between the rock and the cabinet as per manufacturers specs. A firewall that does not include the ceiling is not very effective. Anything less is unsatisfactory for safety. Cheap construction without insulated wall with rock on both sides is criminal intent in my opinion. The difference in cost is so little that it is stupid. At any rate the drywall contractor should know the code, and should build to that spec. If he does'nt build to code, in Texas he can have his butt sued. This will not help the HO much, but will give him more grief than doing the job right the first time. Most contractors want to do as little as possible, and do not want the interruption of a lawsuit, where they have to spend time in court. Get everyone possibly involved in court, and get your lawyer to delay several times on the day of the court, see who caves first. It works in Texas against the largest firms.

RE: "Get everyone possibly involved in court, and get your lawyer to delay several times on the day of the court, see who caves first. It works in Texas against the largest firms."

Since you are now advising on the matter, don't forget to give her your contact info, Bob... ;-)

I haven't been able to download my camera pics so I will try and describe what has been done now. They have put plywood on the interior side of the garage wall that the furnace is on. They will drywall over the plywood as this is an interior room. They have built a soffit around the upper 12 inches of furnace and duct in the garage and will drywall around this soffet. So there will be no drywall between the upper part of the furnace/ducting and the insulation. I will try to have my DH upload the pics for me. Thanks for looking.

Laura

The furnace instructions on the furnace I just got installed ( looking at the instructions) say 10" min.
.......have the installer call the inspector and don't pay untill the job is complete and passed inspection. They fix things a lot faster when they don't have there money yet.
Good Luck

Hello Scott,
Clearance is not unilateral. It is specific to the equipment. I don'r know of any forced air equipment that requires 10 inches in the back of the equipment or on the sides. Maybe to the front?

10 inch clearance in the front? Just how in the world are you supposed to service something with that kind of clearance? Just how tall are you bob?

To install a gas burning appliance in a garage the botom of the burner box must be a min of 14" off the floor. In the case of a water heater the pilot light must be 14" off the floor.

No return air is allowed and ducts must be sealed. If the drywall is fire rated (5/8"), fire dampers must be installed.

If the furnace was set so the 5/8" drywall will not fit the code cannot be met.

Check with the local authorities for the 14" off floor distance. They may require something different.

around here (central TX) the minimum is 18" off of floor

Thanks for the continued interest guys. I'm sorry that I still have not been able to get pics. This is an electric furnace, BTW.

Laura

Home scolled mom ... electric furnace...........oh my, TEN lashes for you with used flexable ductwork from a bad install.

Guys Bob Brown was RIGHT I said 10 inch clearance ... sorry I was wrong I was looking at the air install instructions, that says 10 inch min. sorry.. my mistake.
scott

Electric units dont require any clearance to combustibles.

So another question (showing my ignorance again). We have all this metal ducting, really big ducting, that is behind sheetrock. Is it really well sealed? how would we know if it wasn't? how can we ever do maintenance or even just a routine eyeball?

Laura