Building Inspections Newsletter, Issue 16, August 2010 - January 2011

10 Page 1 Johnston County Inspections August 2010 - January 2011 Issue 16 INSPECTIONS DEPARTMENT Mission Statement Johnston County Inspections Department aspires to lead by example It is our mission to provide friendly and knowledgeable service , while demonstrating integrity , professionalism , and to hold the public's welfare and safety to the highest of standards Johnston County Inspections Department 309 E Market St Smithfield , NC 27577 wwwjohnstonnccom inspections Phone 919 989 - 5060 Fax 919 989 - 5431 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Happy New Year Intro Adhered Masonry Veneer Evaluation 1 We hope everyone had a happy New Year ; we Draft Updates to Spray Foam Insulation Evaluation 2 - 3 would like to thank everyone for a Interpretations 3 - 6 productive year in 2010 Here in the Cold Weather Concrete 6 - 7 Inspections Department we are excited for New Horizon Dean's Commentary 7 the New Year One of the most incredible Reminders 8 things about the Inspections Department is our ability to work together so well Teamwork comes into play everyday We are Adhered all working toward a common goal To provide excellent customer service to the Masonry Veneer builders and citizens of Johnston County with the most efficient service possible If Evaluation you have any input that you feel can improve Published our efforts to provide customer service , feel free to let us know You can email me The Evaluation Services Section has directly , write us a letter or give us a call published an evaluation entitled Adhered With your help we can make this another Masonry Veneer AMV at the request of productive year for Johnston County Inspections Department code enforcement officials particularly concerned about water penetration In this issue of our Newsletter , it will inform you about all of the updates and changes we problems associated with the many stone have made Such as , updates for the spray veneers on the market The evaluation can polyurethane foam insulation , a reminder of be found at the cold weather concrete , and also http wwwncdoicom OSFM Engineering protection and inspection practices engineering_evaluationsasp If you ever experience problems with the Listserv or receiving the If you have any questions about this Newsletters please contact me Beth Stewart at bethstewart @ johnstonnccom document , please contact Bob Speed at bobspeed @ ncdoigov or 919 - 661 - 5880 You can find our past Newsletters on our website wwwjohnstonnccom inspections click , ' Newsletters Archive ' Continue to next pagePagePage 2 Johnston County Inspections Draft Updates to the Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation Evaluation The following interpretations and clarifications consistently show that single cables embedded have been informally rendered recently regarding in SPFI remain within safe temperature ranges Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation These recent No test data is available on multiple cables interpretations of topics addressed in the bundled together in SPFI ; however , tests on evaluations will be reflected in future official multiple cables passing through a wall plate fire revisions to the NCDOI evaluation papers on SPFI stopped with spray foam indicate overheating Revised evaluation papers will likely be posted in of the cables is possible Consequently , early 2011 If you have questions about any of bundled cables should be de - rated in these interpretations or on the evaluations that accordance with the North Carolina Electrical are currently posted , please contact Bob Speed at Code Bare conductors should not be bobspeed @ ncdoigov or by phone at 919 - 661 - embedded in SPFI , and switch boxes , receptacle 5880 x224 boxes , and junction boxes should be masked to prohibit intrusion of SPFI into the boxes during 1 Fuel Burning Heat Producing Appliances installation As of January 1 , 2011 , the comparative test 3 Acceptable Test Protocols protocols , under which the limitation on fuel burning heat producing appliances existed , will Uncoated SPFI or SPFI coated with an no longer be valid Updated test protocols under intumescent coating may qualify under Specific the 2009 edition of AC377 are considered Approval in lieu of providing a prescriptive stringent enough to lift the ban on fuel burning thermal barrier or prescriptive ignition barrier heat producing appliances in attics or crawl When NFPA 286 tests are used to qualify the spaces with SPFI installed under Specific product without a thermal barrier , the Approval Fuel burning heat producing appliances acceptance criteria in Section R3154 of the should be allowed in these spaces provided Residential Code must be applied and the test The evaluation report on the SPFI has duration shall be 15 minutes UL 1715 with the been updated to comply with the 2009 acceptance criteria specified therein may also edition of AC377 be used to assess alternates to thermal The evaluation report on the SPFI has no barriers Storage in the attic or crawl space is language specifically prohibiting fuel allowed if the SPFI complies with these burning heat producing appliances in the protocols For alternates to ignition barriers , space the modified NFPA 286 test protocol and Listing of the appliance allows installation acceptance criteria in Appendix X of AC377 in the space shall be used for attics and should be used for Clearance from the appliance to crawl spaces Alternates to ignition barriers in combustibles associated with the crawl spaces may also be qualified under appliance listing must be maintained Appendix C of AC377 When qualified under Outside combustion air must be provide either Appendix X or Appendix C of AC377 , in unvented spaces storage is not allowed in the attic or crawl space 2 Embedment of Electrical Wiring in SPFI Few tests are available on electrical wiring embedded in SPFI , and the few tests that are available are all on single cables These testsPagePage 3 Johnston County Inspections Continue Draft Updates Spray Foam Insulation Evaluation 4 Evaluation Reports Specifying Multiple reports do not adequately explain under what Options as Alternates to a Prescriptive Thermal circumstances the coating may be deleted When Barrier or Prescriptive Ignition Barrier Including in receipt of a report worded in this manner , Both Uncoated SPFI and Intumescent Coatings NCDOI recommends the code enforcement on the SPFI official request the manufacturer provide a letter Some of the more recent ICC - ES evaluation from ICC - ES clarifying the intent of the report In reports contain multiple options for intumescent the absence of this letter , an intumescent coating coatings along with an option to use the bare should be applied to the SPFI Revision 1 foam with no coating Unfortunately , these Interpretations Therefore , there should be a minimum floor Building - Outdoor Fireplaces area of 36 x36 at the top of the stairway Question with minimum headroom of 6 - 8 These Does the Residential Code apply to standalone clearances are minimums that are required outdoor fireplaces or pits for safety of the occupants for egress and for Answer fire fighting personnel to access the space No Section R1012 Scope indicates that the code does not apply to accessory structures Building - Attic Access that do not have a floor plan dimension greater Question than 12 feet Standalone outdoor fireplaces Can pull down stair hardware such as the typically do not have a plan dimension greater springs and handrails extend into the than 12 feet ; so , the code does not apply But , required attic access " net clear opening " Chapter 10 is a good resource for constructing dimension specified in Section R8071 when such a structure It will provide information the stair is in the full open and usable such as how to size footings , flues and position fireplace openings so that it properly functions Answer Section R10039 is particularly useful in that it Yes It is the intent of Section R8071 that the tells you where the chimney can terminate term " net clear opening " be applied to without exposing other structures on the site to fire damage obstructions other than the stair hardware and handrails The minimum opening Building - Headroom dimensions given in R8071 are applied to Question the finished boxing of the opening What is the headroom requirement for the area Obstructions that the term " net clear at the top of a permanent stairway The opening " would be applied to are items such stairway does not have a door at the top as ductwork , electrical wiring , etc This Answer interpretation is based on proposed NC Section R31152 defines headroom Building Code Council Residential Code requirements for stairways It states standing committee language for the 2012 The minimum headroom in all parts of the edition of the NC Residential Code stairway shall not be less than 6 ' - 8 " All parts of the stairway includes landings PagePage 4 Johnston County Inspections Continue Interpretations equipment grounding conductor Mechanical - Clothes Dryer Exhaust Answer Termination No , Section 55033 requires that for any feeder Question supplying a mobile home , four insulated , color What is the required height above finished grade coded conductors are to be installed There is for a domestic clothes dryer exhaust termination no exception , nor is a bare conductor of a cable Answer considered to be insulated Therefore , each Section 6144 does not directly identify a conductor must have its own insulating minimum termination requirement above grade covering for domestic clothes dryer exhaust caps Administrative - Conventional Crawl Spaces Manufacturers instructions typically require a Question minimum termination of 12 inches above grade Are permits required for the conversion of a Electrical - Double Wide Mobile Home conventional crawl space with wall ventilation Feeder openings to a closed crawl space per Section Question R904 of the Residential Code Are two driven electrodes ground rods required Answer for single family dwellings Yes Section 1061 states that a current permit Answer is required for all work described in the Single electrodes made of rod , pipe , or steel technical codes unless specifically exempted by plates must have a resistance to ground of 25 the North Carolina Statutes or the technical ohms or less , or must be augmented by an codes General Statutes 153A - 357 and 160A - additional electrode of a type specified by Section 417 address permits in more detail and list 25052 A 2 through A 7 The installer is some exceptions to the requirement for required to assure the system meets this permits GS 153A - 357 and 160A - 417 state that requirement no permit is required if the work is in a single Note In extensive testing throughout North family dwelling and the cost of the work is Carolina soil conditions have found to be of types 5,000 or less GS 153A - 357 and 160A - 417 prohibiting conductivity meeting the 25 ohms or then list exceptions to the exceptions which less requirement for resistance state that if the design of the electrical , Question mechanical , or plumbing systems are changed , A double wide mobile home is fed from a 200 a permit is required One of the requirements of ampere service panel board on the side A feeder a closed crawl space is that moisture levels in is installed from the service panel , down the side , the crawl space be controlled Moisture control and under the home 30 feet , and up into the may be provided by one of the following a sub - fed panel The feeder is size 4 0 aluminum permanently installed dehumidifier with a service cable , 4 - wire , which has a bare designing condensate pump or drain and an equipment grounding conductor , but is contained electrical outlet ducting supply air from the within a moisture resistance sheath with the dwelling air conditioning system blowing house other conductors Is this equipment grounding air to the crawl space with a fan installing an conductor in a cable the same as an insulated exhaust fan designing the crawl space as aPagePage pageNumber5Page 5 Johnston County Inspections Continue Interpretations heated and cooled conditioned space All of normal path of travel of vehicles , no protection is the above measures involve some level of required addition or change in the design of the Question electrical , mechanical , or plumbing systems Is access to the whirlpool bathtub pump required Summarizing , a permit is required when either for repair and removal of two conditions is met when the cost of the Answer work is more than 5,000 when the work Yes , the Plumbing Code states access shall be involves addition or change in the design of provided to the pump An access door large the electrical , mechanical , or plumbing enough to remove the motor and or pump shall systems Since the work described in Section be provided at the side or end of the whirlpool R904 of the Residential Code will involve bathtub clearance of 21 " minimum in front of the addition or change in the design of the access door The access maybe through a cabinet electrical , mechanical , or plumbing systems a double doors with no stile and or from below permit is required to convert a conventional the whirlpool bathtub in a basement or crawl crawl space to a closed crawl space space travel path to the access to the whirlpool bathtub shall be a minimum height of 24 " in the Mechanical Plumbing - Protection of crawl space Per the 2009 Plumbing Code " where Appliances the manufacturer's instructions do not specify the Question location and minimum size of field - fabricated Section 3034 states " Appliances shall not be access openings , a 12 - inch by 12 - inch minimum installed in a location where subject to sized opening shall be installed to provide access mechanical damage unless protected by to the circulation pump Where pumps are located approved barriers " What is an example of more than 2 feet from the access opening , an 18 - " approved barriers " which is appropriate for inch by 18 - inch minimum sized opening shall be protection of appliances from vehicle impact in installed A door or panel shall be permitted to a one - and - two family dwelling garage close the opening In all cases , the access opening Answer shall be unobstructed and of the size necessary to Examples of approved barriers for protection permit the removal and replacement of the of appliances from vehicle impact in a one - circulation pump " and - two family dwelling garage include pipe Plumbing - Water Heater Pan Drain bollards extending three feet above the floor Question 2inch Schedule 40 steel pipe set in a concrete May a water heater pan drain and or the floor ; 2 inch Schedule 40 steel pipe set in a discharge from a water heater relief valve cored hole in an existing concrete floor and terminate into a crawl space sealed with epoxy ; 2 inch Schedule 40 steel Answer pipe welded to a ¼ inch steel base plate that is No , Section 50472 states the relief valve shall anchored to the concrete floor with four ½ inch discharge full size to a safe place of disposal such x 2 ½ inch embedment depth 2 ¼ inch anchor as within 6 " of the floor , outside the building , or bolts ; and curb stops and or raised pads of not an indirect waste receptor The 1996 Plumbing less than 5 ½ inches set not less than 40 Code was the last code which allowed the inches from the appliance discharge into the crawl space Note that if the appliance is located out of thePagePage pageNumber6Page 6 Johnston County Inspections Continue Interpretations Plumbing - Cleanout is placed Plumbing - Pipe Sleeve Question Question If a cleanout is placed in a crawl space , is the What pipe sizes may be used when the travel path required to be 24 inches in height code requires the pipe sleeve to be two Answer pipe sizes larger than the drain pipe Yes , the cleanout must extend to the outside of Answer the building if the crawl space height is less We presume the pipe sizes as addressed than 24 inches If the cleanout is placed in the in the definitions may be used when the crawl space , the crawl space height shall be not sleeve is required to be increased two pipe less than 24 inches at the cleanout and along diameters When the drainage pipe is 3 " , the travel path from the access door to the the pipe sleeve may be 4 " , which is using 3 cleanout ½ " and 4 " Reminder Cold Weather Concrete Concrete can successfully placed , finished , and cured in cold weather or during the winter , but it requires an understanding of the impact of cold weather on the process of creating long - lasting concrete By definition ACI 306 , cold weather conditions exist when … for more than 3 consecutive days , the average daily temperature is less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit AND the air temperature is not greater than 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than one - half of any 24 hr period So , if the air temperature is below or expected to go below 40 degrees Fahrenheit , then " cold weather " techniques shall be employed In this case , it is our policy that the contractor provides us with a " Plan of Action " based on ACI 306 The procedure outlined here may be used as the basis for the acceptance or rejection of any concrete footing foundation respective to concrete placement during cold weather conditions It is the intent of this procedure to closely follow ACI 306 , Standard Specification for Cold Weather Concreting Code Requirements IRC The building code requires that the minimum compressive strength of concrete for footings be 2500 psi , for foundation walls , 3000 psi The code also specifies that the concrete be air entrained The total air content percent by volume of concrete shall not be less than 5 or greater than 7 Effects of early freezing in a concrete pour The ultimate strength of concrete can be reduced by up to 50 percent of its potential 28 day strength if it freezes soon after placement , usually before 24 hours and before reaching strength of 500 psi PagePage pageNumber7Page 7 Johnston County Inspections Continue - Reminder Cold Weather Concrete Avoid adding water to concrete on the job to create " better flow " The use of more water increases the likelihood of freezing For each gallon of water added to the mixture on site , at least 200psi of strength is lost Inspection Practices 1 The enforcement of cold weather concrete protection requirements will occur when the ambient air temperature is at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit , or a temperature is forecasted within 48 hours of below 40 degrees Fahrenheit Footings , walls , structural slabs , sidewalks and driveway approaches shall be protected 2 Inspectors will verify the sub - grade is not frozen prior to concrete placement and that adequate protection components are on site at the time of inspection They will also be checking the maintenance of the protection for two days following the inspections 3 If footings were required to be protected from freezing , foundation walls will not be allowed to be poured for at least 48 hours New Horizon Author Dean Barbour The Christmas snow is gone , but oh what a engineering firms are busy with new projects , beautiful sight Snow with no ice is nice , the best this means forthcoming work which is a good sled for powder snow turned out to be my duck early indicator of a recovery I know some boat The boat is all plastic and turns up in the builders are thinking if something doesn't bloom front , capacity is five neighborhood kids The soon their tree is going to rot down , but have the hayfield was a great place to go " boating " with a faith even as small as a mustard seed and you four wheeler Winter started on December 21st with can move mountains We all have made shorter days and longer nights The leaves have adjustments during the last three years ; this fallen from the big oak in the back yard ; all have year's Inspection Department budget will be the been raked and burned , but for some reason they same or less than last year's budget which has never all fall off the tree A few leaves hang around , been reduced for the last three years Inspectors kind of like Bruce Nichols on a construction job need new laptops , but will make out without When the leaves are all gone if you look closely you them for now Inspections has four less will find a new bud just waiting for the warm sun employees when compared to 2006 numbers , and the spring rain to give them new life I have when staff retire we do not fill the position observed the bud on a dogwood tree , when you because the workload doesn't justify any new peel the outside shell away you can see the new employees at this time When work is slow , we leaves , like ducks in a row waiting to bloom I make adjustments and do more with less Let's would like to apprehensively think of the building keep the faith and look on the horizon , maybe a industry in the same terms ; however , I have been logging company will cut down the trees with the ? saying this for three years , but so has Mike Walden new spring leaves because someone needs the ? [ Economist ] Homebuilders are paying him I have lumber to build a house some indicators to confirm this reasoning , the ? value of construction numbers for 2010 are up about ten percent over 2009 figures The localPagePage pageNumber8Page 8 Johnston County Inspections Administrative Reminders & Other Reminders ? Have your inspections called in by 4 30pm for the next day ? Inspectors will able to take calls after 8 30am This gives them time to get their route in order ? Premise Numbers Progress Energy customers only are required prior to the issuance of a building permit when applicable ? Have the NCECCC North Carolina Energy Code Compliance Certificate permanently affixer in the house on the final inspection ? Make sure you have your Orange Permit Card in the job box No card , No inspection ? Holiday Reminders County Offices Closed th January 17 - MLK Holiday nd April 22 - Good Friday th May 30 - Memorial Day th July 4 - Independence Day th September 5 - Labor Day th November 11 - Veteran's Day th th November 24 & 25 - Thanksgiving th th December 26 & 27 - Christmas ? Also , we no longer have the Nextel ID We are with Verizon Wireless ' Touch to Talk ' We have the same mobile numbers just not the ID numbers Below is a list of all the numbers Name Desk Phone Mobile # Barbour Dean 989 - 5061 868 - 4615 Barry Trip 209 - 8326 427 - 3536 Blackman Walter 989 - 5064 427 - 4285 Bledsoe Mike N A 868 - 4618 Byrd Brady N A 427 - 7894 Clifton Amy 989 - 5065 868 - 3584 Clifton Tommy 209 - 8330 868 - 4638 Cook Mike N A 422 - 6811 Hudson Shane 209 - 8322 422 - 6812 Johnson Davy N A 369 - 0308 Johnson Patrick N A 625 - 8742 Jones RB 209 - 8320 422 - 6759 Lewis Ed 209 - 8328 291 - 1571 Reeves Russell 209 - 8323 291 - 0613 Robinson Bryan 209 - 8331 201 - 0430 Sasser Brian N A 868 - 4620 Sauls Jimmie 209 - 8327 427 - 4283 Sutton Tony N A 427 - 4282Page