Long story, but should be easy AND entertaining if I explain it properly.
I take a job in a house where the HO wants me to install three custom built exterior doors in his den where there are currently three existing windows. Currently in the area outside of this den is his gas furnace/ac unit, as well as the gas meter and a 3/4" gas line attched to the exterior wall. His current (but very old) system replaced a furnace in the basement many years ago and the contractor just ran new duct work up and out to the new unit never changing the duct work in the rest of the house.
The HVAC contractor suggests a new high efficiency gas unit (95% efficient) and put it back in the basement and put the condenser on the other side of the house. Great.... sold. The area will be void of the heat and air unit and the whole house does not have to be re-ducted.
Now, the gas company comes over and tells them that moving the meter is very simple if they go to the left side of the house and they won't even charge for the move. This will require about 40' of new 3/4" black pipe installed and then cut into the existing gas pipes in the basement at the same time that the gas company has the gas tuned off. The A/C guy is a friend of mine so he says, hey, no problem, I'll pull the mechanical permit and run the line if you'll help me. He's got to install a new disconnect for his furnace anyway. Great... sold.
In the basement is a gas water heater that's been there forever. The shut off valves for the furnace, the water heater and the range are all in one place. The exhaust for the water heater is vented up and over about 4 feet and exists into a chimney.
The inspector comes over to look at the new furnace and sees that the existing gas line for the range (which has been there for years) is touching the exhaust vent for the water heater. He tells me that it's an "explosion hazard" and needs to be moved. I, of course tell him that it's existing and has nothing to do with what we are doing. He says he's not gonna approve the new gas line unless it's moved. Well, it's 5/8" copper tubing and it's not a big deal, so when we're down there working I just reach up and bend it so that's it's now 8" away from the exhaust pipe. It took about 20 seconds to do that.
The building inspector declines the inspection. I go to his office to get an explanation. "Yea, you moved it but you didn't move it far enough." AGAIN, I remind him that 1. it's existing and has nothing to do with what I'm doing, and 2. I moved it to at least 8" away form the vent. He says he doesn't care, he's not approving the inspection until it's moved farther away because it's still an "explosion hazard" and it's his job to look out for the public interest.
Well, before I went to the inspector's office I called the gas company and their field inspector laughed when I used the term "explosion hazard" and said there was no way that a vent pipe, 4 feet from a water heater could create enough heat to cause an explosion. He said he did however have a problem with it touching because "two dislike metals" could rub and cause a pin hole. Just move it a couple of inches away and it'll be fine. He does say that sometimes inspector want to classify gas lines as "combustable material", and if that was the cse, then it would be 6". He also tells me to have the inspector call him and he'll set the record straight. I already knew I had 8" clear.
Back to the inspector's office.... This guy is an idiot. I've known this in past dealings with him, so I just ask him.. "How much seperation do you want between the pipe and the exhaust vent, and I'll go over and move it." He says it's not his responsibility to tell me how far apart they are supposed to be. I'm the contractor and I should know. Of course that makes no damn sense what so ever, so I throw it back in his face and quote the gas guy. I tell him that I do know, and it's six inches for combustable materilas IF that's how he's treating it. He then tells me that's not enough to make him happy. I'm getting pissed, but he agrees to call the gas company guy. The volume on his office phone is jacked way up so I can hear the whole conversation and I hear the gas guy say six inches.
Well dickhead hangs the phone up, turns to me and says.... a foot and a half... MINIMUM. I say, "Fine, It's tube copper, I'll just go bend it some more." He thens tell me that I've got to hire a mechanical contractor because I'm not qualified or licensed to move a gas line.... LMFAO. You're joking, right? No, he's dead serious. This guy is now just being pure *******.
Can someone please tell me what the minimum seperaion is between a copper gas line and a 4" exhaust pipe for a gas water heater is... and please tell me the exact Code number and paragraph? I live in a very small town and we use the IRC without local modifications, so hopefully one of you guys can point me in the right direction.
Here's something else for your reading pleasure that will contest to the stupidity of this genious building inspector. The new furnace is a 95% efficient unit. It loses so little heat through exhaust, that the exhaust pipe is a 2" PVC not metal. The factory exhaust connection on the unit is a RUBBER 90 degree coupling. The AC guy had vented it out into the same chimney and supported the PVC exhaust pipe overhead with a nylon strap. THIS BRILLIANT inspector told him he couldn't use nylon straps to hold it up the PVC pipe because the nylon could melt. LMFAO again.
Edit: I meant to tell you that I CAN'T get a foot and a half clearance because the gas pipe is between the exhaust vent and a brick wall. Otherwise, I would just move it and be on my merry way.