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County adopts 2025 building code; removes local prohibition on water heaters in crawl spaces and directs staff to study issue
Summary
Teton County adopted the 2025 Teton Building Code with an effective date of July 1, 2025, but removed a proposed local prohibition on locating water heaters in crawl spaces and asked staff to gather further industry input before reconsidering the rule.
Teton County commissioners on June 17 adopted the 2025 Teton Building Code Resolution with an effective date of July 1, 2025, while deleting a local provision that would have prohibited installing water heaters in crawl spaces. Commissioners directed county staff to collect additional feedback from plumbing and building professionals and return with recommendations.
Why commissioners debated the clause: Staff had proposed reintroducing certain blower-door and duct testing requirements and adding a local rule to prevent water heaters from being installed in crawl spaces because pressure‑relief discharge plumbing is difficult to route to gravity drainage from such confined spaces. Building staff said the restriction would reduce improperly installed temperature‑pressure relief drains and related moisture problems.
Concerns raised by commissioners and the public: Several commissioners said they sympathized with staff’s practical concerns but worried the restriction could make small accessory dwelling units (ADUs) or compact homes harder to build and could impose extra cost on homeowners. Commissioners and staff discussed alternatives such as requiring a sump or French drain for any crawl‑space installation and whether the county has authority to adopt rules stricter than state minimums.
Board action and follow up: After debate, commissioners voted to adopt the 2025 code but to remove the local prohibition on water heaters in crawl spaces. The board asked Planning and Building staff to proactively solicit written input from plumbing contractors and the construction community and return with a staff recommendation on whether to pursue a local rule. Trustees discussed timelines for future action, with staff suggesting further consideration later in the year if needed.
Ending: The new 2025 Teton Building Code Resolution takes effect July 1, 2025; staff will gather additional stakeholder input about water heaters in crawl spaces and report back to the board for future action.
