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A small number of states still impose limits on the use of vent free gas heaters. While this number is reducing, the speed of the reduction has not kept pace with the speed of the improvements in the technology - Although some restrictions are altitude based (e.g. Colorado).
Some states have permitted the installation and use of the heaters but some areas within those states still have limits imposed. If you live in one of the "Not Permitted" states marked on the map, please check your local codes before purchase/installation.
There is some confusion on whether vent free is permitted in California yet. As of this writing the accurate position is: The state law states that vent free products may be sold and installed under regulations written by the building department. But. ..... To date, those building regulations have not yet been written/finalized.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT STATE BY STATE CODES FOR VENT FREE PRODUCTS
There are 8 building code (model code) bodies used throughout the Unites States. 6 of them permit the use of vent free gas products, 2 of them do not. The UMC (Uniform Mechanical Code) body still does not permit the use of vent free gas products and is the reason most orange areas on our map still exist today. Some states are considering moving from UMC to IMC (International Mechanical Code), e.g. Montana. Other States have areas/localities that have gone ahead on their own and switched from UMC to the more up to date IMC regulations.
If your building code says no, pay attention to it. It will catch up with the rest of the country in time but. .... When building code says no, your insurance company says no. It is not worth trying to skirt around the edge of the system.
Consider installing a more temporary form of space heating while you wait for your area to catch up. Or if funds allow, opt for a vented system but bare in mind whilst they might have a similar appearance on the outside, 75% to 85% of a vented gas products heat is given away to the outside environment via the vent. This escaping of your hard earned heating dollar makes vented gas products more expensive to run than electric space heating.
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