October 10, 2013

Placer County APCD 247 - 1 Rules and Regulations

RULE 247 NATURAL GAS-FIRED WATER HEATERS, SMALL BOILERS AND 

PROCESS HEATERS

Adopted 10-10-13

(Amended 2/13/14)

CONTENTS

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE

102 APPLICABILITY

103 EXEMPTIONS

200 DEFINITIONS

201 BOILER, STEAM GENERATOR OR WATER HEATER

202 BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU)

203 NATURAL GAS

204 POOL/SPA HEATER

205 PROCESS HEATER

206 RATED HEAT INPUT CAPACITY

207 RECREATIONAL VEHICLE

300 STANDARDS

301 NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSION LIMIT

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE

402 CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT

403 MANUFACTURER’S LABELING

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 RECORDKEEPING

502 TEST METHOD
October 10, 2013

Rules and Regulations 247 - 2 Placer County APCD

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 October 10, 2013

Placer County APCD 247 - 3 Rules and Regulations

100 GENERAL

101 PURPOSE: To limit the emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from the use of natural 

gas-fired water heaters, small boilers and process heaters.

102 APPLICABILITY: The provisions of this rule shall apply to any person that offers for 

sale, sells, or installs any natural gas-fired water heater, boiler or process heater with a 

rated heat input capacity of greater than or equal to 75,000 British Thermal Units per hour 

(Btu/hr) and less than 5 million Btu/hr in Placer County.

103 EXEMPTIONS: The provisions of the Rule shall not apply to:

103.1. Water heaters used in recreational vehicles.

103.2. Water heaters used to heat pools/spas with a rated heat input capacity less than 

or equal to 400,000 Btu/hr.

103.3. Any propane-fired heating equipment.

200 DEFINITIONS: Unless otherwise defined below, the terms used in this rule are defined in Rule 

102, DEFINITIONS.

201 BOILER, STEAM GENERATOR OR WATER HEATER: Any equipment fired with natural 

gas to produce hot water or steam.

202 BRITISH THERMAL UNIT (BTU): The amount of heat required to raise the temperature 

of one pound of water from 59° F to 60° F at one atmosphere.

203 NATURAL GAS: A mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons containing at least 80 percent 

methane by volume as determined according to ASTM Test Method D1945-03.

204 POOL/SPA HEATER: A device through which water is heated when pool or spa water 

circulates through a heat exchanger. 

205 PROCESS HEATER: Combustion equipment which transfers heat from combustion 

gases to a liquid process stream other than water. 

206 RATED HEAT INPUT CAPACITY: The heat input capacity specified on the nameplate of 

the combustion unit. If the combustion unit has been physically altered or modified such 

that its maximum heat input is different than the heat input capacity specified on the 

nameplate, the new maximum heat input shall be considered as the rated heat input 

capacity.

207 RECREATIONAL VEHICLE: Any vehicle used for recreational purposes and designed to 

include a natural gas-fired water heater and is required to be licensed to be driven or 

moved on the highways of California.

300 STANDARDS

301 NITROGEN OXIDES EMISSION LIMIT: No person shall offer for sale, sell, or install any 

natural gas-fired water heater, boiler or process heater subject to this rule with oxides of 

nitrogen (NOx) emissions in excess of 20 ppmv @ 3 percent oxygen.

400 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS
October 10, 2013

Rules and Regulations 247 - 4 Placer County APCD

401 COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE: Effective January 1, 2015, no person shall offer for sale, 

sell or install any natural gas-fired water heater, boiler or process heater which does not 

comply with the requirements of Section 300.

402 CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT:

402.1 A manufacturer of any water heater, boiler or process heater subject to Section 

300 shall submit to the Air Pollution Control Officer (APCO) at least 30 days prior 

to sale, a statement that the unit is in compliance with the provisions of Section 

300. The statement shall be signed and dated, and shall attest to the accuracy 

of all information. The statement shall include the brand name, model number, 

the heat input capacity rating as it appears on the rating plate, or

402.2 A manufacturer shall submit to this District an approved South Coast Air Quality 

Management District (SCAQMD) certification obtained from an independent 

testing laboratory. Any model of natural gas-fired water heater, boiler or process 

heater certified as complying with the SCAQMD Rule 1146.1 or Rule 1146.2 

need not be recertified to the test protocol specified in Section 502. A 

certification of a model to San Joaquin Qir Quality Management District Rule 

4307 will also be accepted.

403 MANUFACTURER’S LABELING: A manufacturer shall display the model number of the 

water heater, boiler or process heater on the permanent rating plate of each unit. The 

manufacturer shall also display the certification status on the unit. If a shipping carton is 

used which obscures the labeling on the unit, the manufacturer shall display the model 

number and certification status on the carton.

500 MONITORING AND RECORDS

501 RECORDKEEPING: A manufacturer shall keep certification reports, test reports, and 

certification statements for as long as the water heater, boiler or process heater model is 

offered for sale, sold, or installed within the District, or for five years, whichever is longer.

502 TEST METHOD: The manufacturer shall have each water heater, boiler, or process 

heater subject to this rule tested in accordance with one of the following:

502.1 South Coast Air Quality Management District Protocol: “Nitrogen Oxides 

Emission Compliance Testing for Natural Gas-Fired Water Heaters and Small 

Boilers”.

502.2 South Coast Air Quality Management District Test Method 100.1

502.3 EPA Reference Test Method 7E (40 CFR 60, Appendix A)

502.4 A manufacturer that has certified a unit model to demonstrate compliance with a 

State or local agency rule that meets the requirements of this Rule may submit 

the test results to the District in lieu of conducting duplicative testing.