Where to place a standby generator?

[reader2580]

I want to install a standby generator, but I can't find a place to put it. My understanding is that it has to be five feet from walls with less than one hour fire rating and five feet from any window diagonally. I have also read that it can't be three feet left or right of any window, but I cannot find the three feet rule in NFPA 37. I talked to city building department and apparently I am first person to ever ask about standby generator placement.

I have attached photo of where I really want generator, but I don't think I can meet clearance requirements. The back of house has similar issues with windows and I really don't want to be over line to septic. The far side of house has no windows, but I would have to run 50+ feet of gas line through my basement.

 

[nadogail]

Is it possible to add some cement board to an existing wall and thereby increase the fire rating?

If so, that would allow you more options.

 

[Pwrgeek]

When I had mine put in the regulation I was quoted was 18" from exterior walls. Mine is further than that now because I had it moved when we poured the driveway for the shop by originally it was 18" from the side of my garage. As for Windows I don't know there aren't any on that side of the house.


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[reader2580]

Generac generators are rated to go 18" from a wall. Generac paid for special testing that other generator manufacturers have not done.

My issue is more with the windows than the five feet from the house. The city building inspector is coming tomorrow to look at my situation.

 

[simpler=better]

How much land do you have to work with? You could put up a small shed say 50' away and put it there. Probably easier to trench gas&power than run it through the basement.

 

[sands35]

+2 on a small shed or enclosure of some sort where lines are easy to run and on the back of the house. I'd simply put up a small fence around it with inexpensive pressure treated or something.

Further away means it is quieter too. Gas line is pretty inexpensive per foot. It's the riser cost and labor to install that costs money. Electric cable is probably for ~40-50 amps? That's like $1-2 a foot or something. Not going to break the bank. If you rent a trencher and do it yourself, it's a flat fee for the job. Why not bury the downspouts at the same time?

Might be a fine excuse to put up a nice shed in the back yard. Put the genny next to it under some rain cover or something.

Near a window that can open and near stuff that isn't fire rated is going to be a code problem.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ ^ This. Just put T in black pipe steel AFTER the NG meter and bury they yellow plastic NG according to AHJ over to your generator location. The risers on each end transition from steel above ground, to yellow plastic underground. You want plenty BIG natural gas line so that generator doesn't starve for fuel. If you end up being 50 feet away, again make sure your buried yellow plastic NG line is plenty big. I'd just go with 1" so it will be more than adequate.

 

[reader2580]

If I was to put the generator further away I would probably put it next to my garage. There are issues with a sidewalk in the way plus having to go under my retaining wall. I also have a buried electric line to garage I would need located.

I had the building inspector out and he was okay with putting it anywhere on the side of house as long as it was 4 feet from windows. I do think the garage sounds like good idea too. I am not worried about noise as I had same model generator at previous house.