A dumbwaiter used to be a luxury amenity. Today it simply represents 9 square feet of wasted space, usually in a kitchen. This space is highly coveted by NYC apartment dwellers. Dumbwaiters are constructed like chimneys and their alteration is subject to rules set by the NYFD. It is illegal to use flammable material inside of a dumbwaiter shaft. You cannot seal it up with plywood. You cannot install a cabinet in there. The shaft must be sealed using fireproof material: 3” of reinforced concrete supported by angle iron (ideally fireproofed with concrete). Or at least two layers of 5/8” sheetrock. This is rarely done however, and is acommon violation. The only exception is that if an apartment on a lower floor has already done this then you may not have to. It costs about $5,000 to do this correctly and in most cases it is well worth the money as it makes the kitchen so much better, and the building’s Board of Directors, or Management company cannot came back to you later and make you fix it.
Is your dumbwaiter a firetrap? Here’s what you should do to protect yourself (brickunderground.com)
