cooktop adjacent to wall

[John Dirks Jr]

This is the first time I have run across this arrangement. Is it ok for the gas range to be next to the wall.? It is gypsum drywall.

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[hausdok]

Don't see why not; the wall is gypsum. What do they use for firewalls between a garage and a house?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[John Dirks Jr]

Originally posted by hausdok

Don't see why not; the wall is gypsum. What do they use for firewalls between a garage and a house?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Thanks Mike. Now, lets hope I can remember so I don't ask this same question some other time.

[ghentjr]

Originally posted by hausdok

Don't see why not; the wall is gypsum. What do they use for firewalls between a garage and a house?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Except if you put a large pot on either of the left burners on high you will probably start the wall surface burning. I would have called it as poor planning and a potential safety issue. In fact, can you even get a large pot on the left side?

[fqp25]

I see this arrangement in the condos, and apartments around here. They usually have a steel wall plate on the side wall. I think one manufacturer calls it a "Grease Guard", or "Grease Splash Guard", or something like that.

Frank

[hausdok]

Originally posted by ghentjr

Originally posted by hausdok

Don't see why not; the wall is gypsum. What do they use for firewalls between a garage and a house?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Except if you put a large pot on either of the left burners on high you will probably start the wall surface burning. I would have called it as poor planning and a potential safety issue. In fact, can you even get a large pot on the left side?

Hi John,

I certainly dont disagree that it's poor planning. Be that as it may, it looks like it's not a new home and has been around for a while; so it apparently hasn't been an issue.

It's hard to say though by looking at a photo taken from that angle. I've seen quite a few cheap condos in what we call the "low rent district" around here where this arrangement is pretty common. Usually, there's a nasty layer of grease spatter on the wall adjacent to the stove but I've never found one scorched.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Eric B]

I believe that if you search around you'll find a 6 inch requirement. As for gypsum board - it's wrapped with paper. Try to argue with a plaintiff attorney when he hits you with that. I put such proximities in my report and while I don't expect anyone to reconfigure the kitchen as a result, I do advise them to avoid the large pans. It's one of those "it is what it is" situations for the client to be aware of.

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[msteger]

I see the situation in the top photo fairly often, and don't call it out. I often do, however, see wood cabinets hanging down right above heating elements and burners with insufficient space (less than 13") from time to time. Tough to reach around a boiling pot to shut off the power or gas in this situation. I would call out if a wood cabinet were adjacent to the burner, like in the photo above.

[hausdok]

Originally posted by Eric B

I believe that if you search around you'll find a 6 inch requirement. As for gypsum board - it's wrapped with paper. Try to argue with a plaintiff attorney when he hits you with that.

My response to the attorney would be, "Have you ever tried to burn a piece of drywall?" then I'd offer to do a demonstration if the judge would recess for an hour or so while I go to get a piece of drywall and a torch.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Tom Raymond]

That'll be damned inconvenient for the left handed chef[:-bigeyes

NKBA guidelines call for 18" landing space on either side of cooking surfaces and 24" clearance to cabinets and/or hoods above. The 6" clearance to combustables is folklore, how do you get 6" between a cooktop and a backsplash on a postform laminate countertop?

Tom

[Eric B]

Tom,

I understand your comment about clearances to the rear and industry standards do not specify much of a distance to the backsplash. But in my experience, heat generated off to the side of the burner is about the same as the heat off the back. Personally I would not say that a 6" clearance is folklore.

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[asihi]

I agree with Eric. There should be a minium amount of clearance in between the range and a combustible surface, but the question is, is drywall a combustible surface? http://www.rumford.com/drywall.html

I think I would at least mention it and let them figure it out.

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[Eric B]

"I think I would at least mention it and let them figure it out. "

Tony, I totally agree. I write "Range/cooktop burners in close proximity to combustible side wall/cabinet/backsplash." I discuss it with client and move on. The condition is what it is, they live with it and be aware of it. I also mention about using the larger/wider pans on the burners in question - they're the ones that really deflect the heat into the adjacent surface.

I fully agree with Mike about drywall burning but because it's covered with paper ....... I think it boils down to a personal judgment call of the inspector. And just to show that I'm not totally consistent, I don't write up B-vents that are in contact with drywall. I've never seen or heard of that condition causing a problem, even though it's dead wrong. Another judgment call which I think that we can make out of personal conviction.