Section 375.31. Protection of walls and ceiling; repair; fireplaces.

 

(1)  Except as otherwise provided in s. SPS 375.30 , every combustible wall, partition or ceiling which is less than 24 inches distant from a boiler, furnace, oven, stove, or range, shall be protected with at least 1 / 4 inch asbestos board covered with galvanized sheet metal, or with equivalent protection as specified in s. SPS 375.11 , or shall be protected with a metal shield with at least 4 inches air space behind the same, except as provided below. If the wall, partition, or ceiling is less than 12 inches distant from the boiler, furnace, oven, stove or range, then the woodwork and studs shall be cut away and replaced with incombustible material; or shall be otherwise protected as required by the department or the fire department.

(2)  The above distances may be reduced one-half in the case of stoves and ranges less than 16 square feet in area, and also in the case of gas ranges of greater area if proper insulation is incorporated in the back of the range.

(3)  The top of every boiler, furnace or oven, shall be covered with asbestos, sand, or other heat resisting material, or the required distance above same shall be increased 100%.

(4)  All cracked, broken or otherwise defective stoves, furnaces and boilers, shall be repaired forthwith, and made safe, or shall be replaced with new ones.

(5)  All open fireplaces shall be protected by substantial wire screens.

1-2-56 ; renum. and am., Register, September, 1974, No. 225 , eff. 10-1-74; corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, June, 1995, No. 474 ; correction in (1) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672 .