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Late last month, APGA submitted comments opposing an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) committee’s proposal to ban unvented combustion space heaters in a standard that dictates indoor air quality criteria for residential buildings.

ASHRAE Standard 62.2: Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Residential Buildings is a recognized standard for ventilation system design and acceptable indoor air quality, which specifies minimum ventilation rates and other measures intended to minimize adverse health effects for building occupants. The proposed Addendum j defines a combustion space heater as “an appliance that is permanently installed within a space and intended to provide heating or decorative effects to that space through the direct combustion of a fuel” and adds a provision that prohibits their use in residential homes that must comply with the standard.

Through the comments, APGA argued that data does not support such a ban, nor is it clear whether the committee has the authority to promulgate a ban. Furthermore, such a ban could negatively impact efforts to increase building resiliency. In developing the comments, APGA collaborated with other trade associations, many of whom also submitted comments opposing the addendum. With the comment deadline now closed, the committee must review and respond to each of the comments.

For questions on this article, please contact Renée Lani of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-0836 or by email at rlani@apga.org.