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Building Inspection What do I need to get my gas released? Can the drainage pipe be used as a socket fitting for a 4X3 closet flange? The inside diameter of the drainage pipe may not be reduced to less than 3 in. thus; the vertical portion of a closet stub which is 3 in. may not be used as a socket to solvent weld a closet flange. Additionally, if we consult table P3005.4.1 when the 3 in. drain pipe is used for a socket for the flange it reduces the interior dimension of the pipe to 2-½ in. and according to this table 2-½ in. pipe and footnote b, prohibits the use of a water closet. However, if the vertical portion if the closet stub is 4 in. then the drainage pipes may be used as a socket for a closet flange that is design to solvent weld inside the 4 in. drainage pipe. Is a drain pan required for the replacement of existing water heaters? RP2801.5 Required pan. Where water heaters or hot water storage tanks are installed in locations where leakage of the tanks or connections will cause damage, the tank or water heater shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a minimum thickness of 24 gage (0.016 inch) (0.4 mm) or other pans listed for such use. All new water heater installations require a drain pan and drain. Existing water heater installation that was approved under a previous code and does not have an existing drain pan and drain, which is installed in a location where leakage from the water heater will not cause structural damage, will not be required to have a drain pan and drain installed when replaced. Can the capacity of a commercial vent-a-hood be calculated by any other method than listed by this section? Yes, City of Dallas Administrative Procedures for the Construction Codes Section 106 states the following: Alternate Materials and Methods of Construction Sec. 106. (a) The codes are not intended to prevent the use of any material or method of construction not specifically prescribed by the codes, if the alternate material or method has been approved by the building official. (b) The building official may approve an alternate material or method if the building official finds that the proposed design is satisfactory and that the material, method or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in the codes in strength, effectiveness, fire resistance, durability, safety and sanitation. (c) The building official shall require that sufficient evidence or proof be submitted to substantiate any claims that may be made regarding the use of any alternate material or method. The details of each action approving an alternate material or method must be recorded and maintained in the building inspection division's permanent files. Additionally, beginning with the 1994 UMC Section 508.6 Exception states: Although we have not adopted the 1994 UMC as our adopted code, this statement has remained in the UMC through the current version of the UMC, and the IMC codes have a similar provision. This provides a clear intent that it is an acceptable practice to accept UL listed hood designs as an alternative to the calculated method prescriptively required by the 1991 UMC. In approving a UL listed hood, care should be taken to examine the UL listed design and inspect the on-site installation for compliance to that design. Is all duct tape a disapproved material for the sealing of ducts? No, Section 503.3.3.4.3 states the following: E503.3.3.4.3 Sealing required. Tapes and mastics used with rigid fibrous glass ducts shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 181A.Tapes and mastics used with flexible air ducts shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 181B. "Duct tape" is not permitted as a sealant on any ducts. E803.2.8 Duct and plenum insulation and sealing. All joints, longitudinal and transverse seams, and connections in ductwork, shall be securely fastened and sealed with welds, gaskets, mastics (adhesives), mastic-plus-embedded-fabric systems, or tapes. Tapes and mastics used to seal ductwork shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 181A or UL 181B. Duct connections to flanges of air distribution system equipment shall be sealed and mechanically fastened. Duct tape is not permitted as a sealant on any metal ducts. Both of these sections state that duct tape is not an approved material for the sealing of duct. These statements should not be misunderstood to exclude duct tapes that have been listed and labeled in accordance with UL 181A or B. This exclusion regarding duct tape could be better stated this way "Un-Listed and labeled' Duct tape is not permitted as a sealant on any metal ducts. In previous discussions regarding this subject, it was stated that "duct tape" could no longer be used as a sealer for duct. Like the aforementioned code sections, clarification of that statement would have revealed that statement was only to be applied to unlisted duct tape. What is inspected in medical gas inspections? The following procedures shall be followed in making medical gas inspections.
What is the required backflow preventer for an irrigation system? Section P2902.4.3 of the IRC states the following: P2902.4.3 Lawn irrigation systems. The potable water supply to lawn irrigation systems shall be protected against backflow by an atmospheric-type vacuum breaker, a pressure-type vacuum breaker or a reduced pressure principle backflow preventer. A valve shall not be installed downstream from an atmospheric vacuum breaker. All devices shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer's installation instructions. The IRC states that an atmospheric-type vacuum breaker, a pressure-type vacuum breaker or a reduced pressure principle backflow preventer should be used for a lawn irrigation system. However, in the process of adoption of the IRC this section should have been modified to omit the requirement for a reduced pressure principle backflow preventer, and require a double check backflow preventer. The double check has and will continue to be the approved backflow prevention device for this application. Is main vent required regardless of the number of vent connected to the building drain and what determines the size of the main vent? No, the main vent may be a single vent stack or a stack vent, or any stack vent or vent stack that is connected to the building drain may be considered as the main vent and thus fulfill the requirement of P3102.1. 1)Section P3113.1 shall determine the size of the main vent and states that vent pipes shall be equal to one-half the diameter of the drain served. And the drain shall be sized in accordance with Chapter 30 of the IRC. But, the vent shall be a minimum of 1 ¼ inches diameter. Any vent that exceeds 40 feet of developed length shall be increased by one (1) nominal pipe size for the entire length of the vent. Is a drain pan required on all " tankless" water heaters and is a T&P required for "tankless" water heaters? P2801.5 Required pan. Where water heaters or hot water storage tanks are installed in locations where leakage of the tanks or connections will cause damage, the tank or water heater shall be installed in a galvanized steel pan having a minimum thickness of 24 gage (0.016 inch) (0.4 mm) or other pans listed for such use. This section of the residential code is a reference to the installation of tank type water heaters It does not address "tankless" water heating equipment. If Section P2801.5 were applied across the board, then a small tankless water heater for point of use fixtures would require a drain pan and drain line to an approved location. Section M2005.1 states the following: M2005.1 General. Water heaters shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's installation instructions and the requirements of this code. Water heaters installed in an attic shall conform to the requirements of §RM1305.1 Note the opening statement "shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer's installation instructions". Therefore, if the installation instructions do not require a drain pan, the pan will not be required by the City of Dallas. Some may point out that Section P2801.5 makes mention of the "connections". There is no greater danger from the connections to a "tankless" water heater than any other part of the potable water piping system within the building. Thus the drain pan is not required for the connections on "tankless" water heating equipment. Answer 2) Section P2803.1 requires a "relief valve" on appliances and equipment used for heating water or storing hot water. This section refers to relief valves and not to T&P valves. Section 2803.4 requires the "Temperature Relief Valve" to be installed in the top 6" of the tank. On "tankless" water heaters, this is not possible. Therefore, a "Temperature Relief Valve" or a "T&P valve" is not required, if not required by manufacturer's installation instructions. However, it is required that a "Pressure Relief Valve" be installed on tankless water heater systems, whether it is required by the manufacturer's installation instructions or not. This relief valve should be equal to a Watts Series 53L/3L or BRVS/BRVT. The setting for this relief valve shall be set to open at least 25 psi above the system pressure but not over 150 psi. The relief valve should be located as close as possible to the water-heating device, and may be installed on either the cold or hot water piping system. Are water heaters that were installed with out ladder access above a drop ceiling required to have ladder access as required by the UPC Section 1311 (d) when they are replaced? Although it is clear that UPC Section 1311(d) requires ladder access for all water heater installations that are 8 ft above the floor, it was an approved practice at one time to allow water heaters to be installed above drops ceilings where the water heater could be reached from a portable ladder. Section 314 (a) of the UPC states the following: "In existing buildings or premises in which plumbing installations are to be altered, repaired or renovated, deviations from the provisions of this code are permitted, provided such deviations are found to be necessary and are first approved by the Administrative Authority." According Section 314 (a) a deviation from this code is permitted with prior approval. If a water heater that is 20 gallons or less in capacity and use electricity as fuel source and was installed and approved at the time of installation is not required to met the requirement of the UPC 1311 (d). This exception applies only to water heater replacements and not relocations or remodeling of a lease space where the water heater is to be relocated. If the remodel involves the relocation of the water heater the installation must comply with the current provisions of the UPC. This exception is not all-inclusive and does not apply to other code requirements related to the replacement of water heaters. That is to say that even though a water heater may have been installed prior to the enforcement of our present code this exception only applies to the requirement of Section1311 (d). Is a backflow preventer required before all residential water filtration equipment? The IRC States The Following: 2902.1 General. A potable water supply system shall be designed and installed in such a manner as to prevent contamination from nonpotable liquids, solids or gases being introduced into the potable water supply. Connections shall not be made to a potable water supply in a manner that could contaminate the water supply or provide a cross-connection between the supply and source of contamination unless an approved backflow-prevention device is provided. Cross-connections between an individual water supply and a potable public water supply shall be prohibited. This is not a reference to water filtration equipment installed but a general requirement prohibiting any cross connection to the potable water supply for single family and two family dwellings. Unless the code specifically addresses or mentions a particular type of water treatment device or lists a backflow preventer, a backflow preventer should not be required for water filtration equipment . |
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