Agree, no one wants to be hurt by a gas explosion. Isn't that right? However, no one guarantees this. So, in the past two decades, many of our compatriots have lost property, health and lives in such incidents. But you can avoid troubles. To do this, you will need to properly equip the window for the gas boiler room of a private house, be sure to comply with the rules and regulations prescribed in legislative acts.
Only strict adherence to the requirements for the specified structural element set forth in the guidelines will help make the operation of gas equipment safer. Why so, we will tell you further.
The content of the article:
-
Boiler Room Window Legislation
- What should be the windows?
- Boiler room glazing area
- What is an easy-to-drop enclosure?
- Analogs to sheet glass
- Technical characteristics of LSK
- Why do we need easy drop structures?
- Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Boiler Room Window Legislation
The issue with the glazing of the premises where the gas boilers are located regulates SP 402.1325800.2018, which entered into force on June 6, 2019.
But the norms of this document only state that the windows in the boiler room must be and regulate their appearance and area. And all the other details are set out in GOST R 56288-2014referred to by SP 402.1325800.2018.
The shape of the window in a room with a gas boiler can be any. The main thing is that it should be and correspond to the established area. And also, you must not forget to provide a window or any other method for airing
That's why boiler room design must be carried out taking into account the norms set out in these two by-laws.
What should be the windows?
SP 402.1325800.2018 says that a gas boiler can only be installed in a specially equipped room with a window.
Moreover, this element of the boiler room structure must be equipped with:
- window leaf;
- any other device suitable for providing ventilation of the boiler room.
That is, the indicated design features of the window indicate that it is considered not only as a source of natural light. And also as an important element of the system boiler room ventilation.
We also recommend that you familiarize yourself with the general standards for the arrangement of gas boiler houses. More details - go to link.
Boiler room glazing area
In p. 5.10 of the aforementioned Code of Rules states that the area of glass must be at least 0.03 m2 for each cubic meter of the volume of the room where it will be installed gas boiler.
This is the standard value for buildings classified as fire / explosion hazard group B.
The profile set of rules indicates the minimum window area in a room with a gas boiler. But, in fact, this figure indicates what the opening should be to ensure effective relief of excess pressure.
Moreover, you should pay attention to the fact that the above area should be occupied by the window as a whole, namely glass. Which, moreover, must be an easily removable enclosing structure, otherwise the boiler room will not be allowed for operation.
What is an easy-to-drop enclosure?
These are structural elements of a building that, in the event of a gas explosion, must be easily destroyed and form openings for efficient and quick release of excess pressure. It is customary to use the glazing of boiler rooms as easy-to-drop enclosing structures.
It should be remembered that reinforced glasses, due to their strength characteristics, cannot collapse under the required loads. As a result, the excess pressure will not be effectively relieved. Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to use them in boiler rooms.
The same statement applies to materials such as:
- polycarbonate;
- triplex;
- stalinite.
That is, in fact, until recently, only ordinary sheet glass belonged to easily resettable structures. But since the summer of 2019 other options appeared.
Analogs to sheet glass
If the specified material in any particular case is not the optimal solution, then preference can be given to windows with double-glazed windows.
The image shows the design of an easily resettable window. Moreover, an ordinary user does not always reveal its features. Yes, this is not necessary, since the difference with a conventional product will manifest itself only in a critical situation.
But there are limitations. So, ordinary sheet glass is allowed to be replaced with double-glazed windows made in accordance with the requirements specified in GOST R 56288-2014 for residential buildings. It is prohibited to use any other products.
The specified GOST also says that ordinary glass can be replaced with windows with:
- a rotary element, which is an easily resettable sash, which, during a gas explosion, under the influence of even slight overpressure, opens outward and rotates around the axis of its hinges, designed for fasteners;
- a displaceable element, which is a window frame with a double-glazed window or the double-glazed window itself, which in gas explosion time under the influence of slight overpressure collapses and falls out.
Moreover, the swing sash can be horizontal and vertical, which increases the functionality of easily resetable windows.
Their important feature is also the mandatory presence of special safety locking devices, destructible fasteners, latches.
When exposed to excess pressure, they must freely release the displaced or pivotal structural element.
This picture was taken in 1999. after the explosion at the Intourist hotel in the capital. In the foreground are clearly visible easily release structures and the opening, which they have freed up to relieve pressure, thereby minimizing the consequences. The quality of the photo is not the best, but nevertheless this does not prevent it from being one of the few real confirmations of the effectiveness of easily resettable structures.
According to the requirements of the above-mentioned profile GOST, all easily resettable windows must be marked with special letter designations.
Namely, the following codes must be present on their structural elements:
- LSCOS, indicating that this is an easily resettable window structure with a glass unit;
- letter Findicating that the window is for residential buildings;
- letter NS or WITHindicating the type of opening of the discharge opening - rotary / displaceable.
In addition, on windows with an easily resettable design, the number of the normative document must be indicated on the basis of the requirements of which they were made.
For example, the full designation may look like this: LSKOS Zh P GOST R 56288-2012. That will eliminate mistakes when choosing.
Technical characteristics of LSK
According to the standards set forth in the profile GOST, the locking devices of easily resettable windows must ensure that the sash is reset or rotated when the excess pressure reaches 0.7 kPa.
In this case, for windows with a displaceable structural element, the actuation is considered to be a change in the position of the sash by 90 °.
If the boiler room is a detached building or an extension to a house, then its structure, in whole or in part, can be made of easily disposable sandwich panels.
That is, in the case of the LSC in the room where the gas boiler is located, it is not only the size of the window that is important, but also how it will release the opening for relieving pressure.
Reliability of operation must be ensured in a wide temperature range (-30... 45 ° С).
Otherwise, the easy-to-drop structures are conventional windows. Which are able to effectively resist heat transfer and belong to sound insulation class D or higher.
Why do we need easy drop structures?
The issue of gas explosions is acute in the Russian Federation. Thus, dozens of these incidents occur annually in the country. The most notorious is January 2008, during which there were 10 explosions that killed dozens of Russians.
And the reason is aggravated by cheap, but very durable modern windows that can withstand significant excess pressure for a short time. As a result, the pressure on the building structure increases significantly. And she, often, does not withstand horizontal loads, since the same walls are not designed for this. As a result, buildings just fold up like houses of cards.
It should be remembered that a window in the boiler room should be provided even at the stage of creating project documentation. Or Gorgaz will not give a building permit
You can deal with such a negative phenomenon in 2 ways, which include:
- strengthening the structure of buildings;
- use of easily dumped structures.
And, since the first option is costly and not always available, the main method of protection against the negative consequences of explosions was the use of LSC.
Which have been on the Russian market for a long time, but their high cost did not contribute to their popularity. What did the government decide to "contribute" to, which made the use of easy-release structures mandatory in a number of cases.
And about the fire safety requirements for the arrangement of gas boiler houses, read our other article.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
In the video material attached below, the specialist talks about what shape an easily resettable structure can be in a boiler room:
Glazing standards for an existing gas boiler house should be followed. Since this increases, and significantly, safety in the house. Excessive pressure released in time can save people's lives and their property from destruction.
Below, under the article, you can ask questions, supplement our material with valuable information or share your own experience in arranging windows in a boiler room. Tell us what difficulties you had to face while equipping a boiler room in a private house and how you managed to cope with them.
