Kentucky FHA Acceptable Sources of Heat for A FHA Mortgage Loan Approval
Many people ask me what types of heat sources are okay for homes where the borrower is using FHA to finance the property.
Here’s the information – and by the way, USDA (Rural Housing) uses FHA rules listed below as their heat source guidelines too.
General Guidelines
• All habitable rooms must have a heat source
• Certain areas of the country do not require a heat source if normal for the area (i.e., Hawaii, certain counties in Florida)
Wood Stoves & Solar Systems
• Acceptable with certification that they were installed according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Must ALSO have a conventional heat source in all living areas.
• Must also have a heat source to maintain 50 degrees F in rooms where plumbing is located.
(Example: electric baseboard heat in bathroom, kitchen and basement/crawl space where plumbing pipes are located.)
Floor Heaters
• Acceptable
• If needs repairs or insufficient heat source for home, will require upgrade to conventional heat system.
Non-conventional Heating Systems
• Space heaters or non-conventional heat sources must comply with local codes.
• If does not comply, conventional heating system must be installed.
Propane Tanks
• Must be located a safe distance from the home.
• Must have ownership of propane tank UNLESS only leased tanks are available and normal for the area.
• Propane furnaces located in crawl space or basement is not acceptable.
I’m sure I have not covered every possibility but give me a call if you have any questions or reservations about listing a home that you think may not have an acceptable source of heat.
