Service disconnect

[jharashinski]

Shouldn't there be a service disconnect at or near a furnace? Inspection over the weekend only had one on the other side of another room. I want to add a note to my report that for safety issues, a service disconnect be installed at or near the unit. Am I going overboard?

Thanks

[Jay Moge]

did you check the ceiling above the unit for a "firematic" switch. they look like the old style round light switches form the knob and tube days, but they actualy melt inturnaly and pop out the center to disconnect the power incase of a fire. i've seen them on every furnace around here. plus there's some times a rugular looking light switch on the furnace above the burner that's called a "service shut off", for when someone is working on it. the one in the other room is correct, and should have a red cover indicating that it not for a light, but for the furnace. i call 'em out if they don't.

[jharashinski]

Thanks Jay. The unit had none of those switches. I called it out in my report. I told client at the time it's a good idea. Unit needed some other work so I wanted to mention it before the tech did.

[Russel Ray]

I've never seen a furnace with a disconnect "at or near" it.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by rray

I've never seen a furnace with a disconnect "at or near" it.

I'm sure he's referring to a shut-off switch.

[jharashinski]

Yes I was.

[Gary Reecher]

Firomatic thermal switch

[Jay Moge]

Here's the typical set up i see. it's commercial, but the same pricipal applies residentaly. pic 1 is in the common hallway ouside the utility room. pic 2 is the "firematic" over the furnace (this style you can actualy pull the center lug out by hand and reinstall it with no issues with it's normal use.) pic 3 is the service shut offs for each burner.

[Russel Ray]

Never seen anything like that. Here our furnaces are turned on and off at the thermostat and at the main panel or subpanel, or, as shown in the picture, one can simply unplug them. In the newer furnaces, there is a kill switch in the air filter compartment.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by Jay Moge

Here's the typical set up i see. it's commercial, but the same pricipal applies residentaly. pic 1 is in the common hallway ouside the utility room. pic 2 is the "firematic" over the furnace (this style you can actualy pull the center lug out by hand and reinstall it with no issues with it's normal use.) pic 3 is the service shut offs for each burner.

I'm with Jay. Same shut-offs in my area.

[jharashinski]

Must be a East Coast / West Coast thing. I've never seen a furnace with a plug before.

[Mark A. Timpani, CMI]

Ours in Tucson are like this. Although this one is missing the 15a fuse.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by jharashinski

Must be a East Coast / West Coast thing. I've never seen a furnace with a plug before.

Same here. Every last one of them are hard wired in Massachusetts.

If I ever do run into a furnace that is plugged into a wall, I'll call it out.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by dvalley

If I ever do run into a furnace that is plugged into a wall, I'll call it out.

Why?

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by mtimpani

Ours in Tucson are like this. Although this one is missing the 15a fuse.

So, it must not have been working.