Clearances for Riello Burner

nicolecarter

I'm renovating my basement to add a bedroom and living room area. Space is very tight. I'd like to build a wall (of some sort) to separate the oil burner from the bedroom space. I believe there needs to be 24" noncombustable in front of the burner. Could I put a section of the wall in metal studs, much closer than the 24", (like 8") add a metal vent for air circulating, add a filter there, panel with concrete board. 
Or, as odd as it is, is it safe to have a basement open space and sleep 5 ft away from the oil burner with nothing in between? 
Should the oil burner area be completely walled off from other living space I'll be in a lot. With my child, too.
Other ideas?
I plan to move to heat pump or electric burner eventually but would like to hold off for 1-3 years if possible.
Thank you for any ideas at all!

nicolecarter

And, the wall I speak of would be easily removable, of course, for servicing, and eventually dismantling of the burner, etc, when it comes time.

STEVEusaPA

Are you allowed to have a bedroom in the basement, by code. Almost all codes have special rules, especially regarding egress. You may also need another emergency switch or have it placed somewhere else.
You can completely enclose the are where the oil burner is IF, and that's a big IF, you provide proper and adequate combustion air.
I would have your service provider tell you where access panels/doors need to be for service.
If something calls for 24", then 24" is what you're supposed to do.
Your filter, assuming this is return ducting for a furnace, idea sounds like a great way to make it deadly.
Better get somebody in there who knows combustion, air flow, etc. before you burn your house down, and/or die.

nicolecarter

Thanks Steve! 
The basement is a walk out, so egress is through the door. 
The point about the emergency switch is a new one I hadn't thought of. It should be pretty easy to relocate that to an even more accessible spot though, if that turns out to be important.
It has no ducting. It is hot water baseboard.
Yes, if 24" non combustible. That is what I intend to do. 
Looking at ways to do this creatively but 110% safely.

EdTheHeaterMan

24" sounds lke the part of the heating system where the oil burner or gas burner is located. That may not necessarily be from combustable surfaces but for service access. The clearance to combustables might be listed at 2" or 6" or some other numberfrom all the sides except the front where you need to have access to replace the combustion chamber or get the burner off of the boiler to clean or repair the devices and areas that need annual maintenance. If there is unlimited space for me to work then next time I show up there is only 16" for me to work because you put a metal wall in the way, I'm not going to be a happy camper.

Just say'in

Check with the person that needs to get in there to do the service before you put any walls up. You may find that wall will prevent critical service from getting done correctly. In a few years you may need to take that wall down in order to replace the system because it was not maintained properly.

PC7060

Removable louvered bifold or sliding doors are often used in this type of application. This is one such project I did many years ago that had two sliding doors that shared a common center track. Both door were removable if required but otherwise just slid to one side to access either water heater (left side) or furnace (right side). 36” swing doors louvered) work fine too if you can afford the space claim. 

STEVEusaPA

PC7060 said:

Removable louvered bifold or sliding doors are often used in this type of application. This is one such project I did many years ago that had two sliding doors that shared a common center track. Both door were removable if required but otherwise just slid to one side to access either water heater (left side) or furnace (right side). 36” swing doors louvered) work fine too if you can afford the space claim.

Just curious if you ever checked the CAZ a with the furnace, water heater (if non electric), and the drier all running at the same time?

PC7060

STEVEusaPA said:

Just curious if you ever checked the CAZ a with the furnace, water heater (if non electric), and the drier all running at the same time?

Good question Steve. While the picture was taken in 2011 during an upgrade of the space, the build out of the basement including new furnace and gas water heater was performed around 2001. I’m certain the HVAC installer did not perform a CAZ test. 

In 2022, a CO test was run for 2 hours in the interior space using a combustion analyzer, no measurable CO detected.  I cannot say if the dryer was operating at the time.