Building Inspections Newsletter, Issue 17, January 2012

10 Page 1 of 1 Johnston County Inspections January 2012 Issue 17 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 Codes Classes 1 Here is hoping that everyone had a safe and Carbon Monoxide Alarms in One - and - Two - Family 2 - 4 happy Holiday Season It is hard to believe it is Dwellings and Townhouses already the year 2012 The Johnston County Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation 5 Inspections Department is focusing on a Cold Weather Concrete 6 productive year ahead We will be striving for Multipurpose Dean's Commentary 7 even better customer service in all areas of our Reminders 7 - 8 department If you can provide any input as to how we can better serve you , feel free to recently been made that may be of interest to contact us here in our office In addition to the you Such updates include revisions to codes building community , Johnston County that will be effective this calendar year , cold Inspections has felt the impact of the troubled weather concrete reminders as well as building industry this past year with the loss of departmental policies Furthermore , we look forward to working with you this New Year in four of our valuable employees Beth Stewart hopes that it will be a prosperous one Thanks transferred to the Human Resources again and Happy New Year Department and Tommy Clifton left for other opportunities We would like to congratulate Inspectors RB Jones and Jimmie Sauls on their retirements this past year We would also like to remember the families of those in our building community whom passed away this past year We will continue to lift the families Code Effective Dates up in prayer Energy and Residential - March 1 , 2012 Building , Fire , Plumbing , Mechanical & Fuel Gas - June 1 , 2012 This issue of our Newsletter will include Electrical - August 1 , 2012 informative updates and changes that have The NC Residential Code and the NC Energy Code have not been printed to date We will send out a news letter with some of the code updates when we receive the new books If you ever experience problems with the Listserv or receiving the Newsletters please contact me Heather Gerrell at The Johnston County Inspections Department will be heathergerrell @ johnstonnccom scheduling our continuing education classes over the next few months We will notify everyone as to the dates and subjects of the classes for those interested in attending You can find our past Newsletters on our website We understand that there will be significant changes to Section 60210 , Braced Wall Panels and we plan to have a wwwjohnstonnccom inspections click , ' Newsletters Archive ' class on this subject Continue to next pagePagePage 2 of 2 Johnston County Inspections R313 - Carbon Monoxide Alarms in One - and - Two - Family Dwellings and Townhouses Code 2009 NC Residential Code Date April 1 , 2011 Section R313 The North Carolina Building Code Council approved an amendment to the 2009 NC Residential Code that revises Section R313 to require the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in new and existing one - and - two - family dwellings and townhouses The amendment has an effective date of January 1 , 2011 and reads as follows R31311 Carbon monoxide alarms In new construction , dwelling units shall be provided with an approved carbon monoxide alarm installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedroom s as directed by the alarm manufacturer R31312 Where required - existing dwellings In existing dwellings , where interior alterations , repairs , fuel - fired appliance replacements , or additions requiring a permit occurs , or where one or more sleeping rooms are added or created , carbon monoxide alarms shall be provided in accordance with Section 31311 R31313 Alarm requirements The required carbon monoxide alarms shall be audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed Single station carbon monoxide alarms shall be listed as complying with UL 2034 and shall be installed in accordance with this code and the manufacturer's installation instructions Implementation and enforcement of the above code section has generated a number of questions Included below is a list of the most significant questions and the DOI , Engineering Division's response Question 1 What work and or permit issuance triggers the installation of carbon monoxide alarms in an existing residence Answer Compliance with R31312 is triggered by any of the following 1 The issuance of a permit , requiring compliance with the NC Residential Code , for interior alterations or repairs , or 2 The issuance of a permit , requiring compliance with the NC Residential Code , for a building addition , or 3 The issuance of any permit building or trades for the installation and or replacement of a fuel - fired appliance , or 4 The addition or creation of one or more sleeping rooms Question 2 Relative to the addition or creation of one or more sleeping rooms 1 Does this mean that if a homeowner converts an existing room from a study or some other use into a bedroom , which does not require a building permit , that the installation of a carbon monoxide detector is required Answer Technically all work must comply with the requirements of the codes and the installation of the alarms would be required However , since a permit was not issued , there is no way that the local inspections department can verify compliance 2 Does this mean that if a homeowner finishes off a previously unfinished space in the homeowner's dwelling for a bedroom , doing the work himself without getting a permit the HVAC and electrical may have been installed earlier , that the installation of a carbon monoxide detector is required PagePage 3 of 3 Johnston County Inspections Continue - R313 - Carbon Monoxide Alarms in One - and - Two - Family Dwellings and Townhouses Answer Technically all work must comply with the requirements of the codes and the installation of the alarms would be required However , since a permit was not issued , there is no way that the local inspections department can verify compliance Question 3 As an inspections department , we just recently became aware of the code amendment Must compliance be required for all permits issued since the beginning of the year or can we draw a line in the sand and begin enforcement as of this date Answer The amendment requirements should be enforced for all applicable projects with permits that are currently open and issued on or after January 1 , 2011 Question 4 Is there a special permit for this device or is it lumped with any permit that would trigger the installation as stipulated in R31312 Answer There are no requirements to issue a special permit for compliance with the code amendment Each jurisdiction should decide individually how to best handle enforcement The DOI feels that most of the devices will be either plug - in or battery - powered units , for retrofits , that could be inspected without a separate permit If it as a hard - wired device , then an electrical permit is appropriate Question 5 When the permit is issued for the installation of appliances , equipment , fixtures or devices covered by the trade codes such as the renovation of a bathroom that encompasses only plumbing fixtures with no building related issues , or the change out of an electrical panel would the requirements of R31312 apply Answer If there are no building related issues and a building permit requiring compliance with the NCRC is not issued , and no fuel - fired appliance is being installed or replaced , the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms is not triggered How the local jurisdiction chooses to enforce this compliance verification by certified building inspector or certified trades inspector is strictly up to the jurisdiction Question 6 Since this is an amendment in the NC Residential Code , can a mechanical or plumbing inspector do the inspection on the carbon monoxide installation or does it require a certified building inspector Answer For either plug - in or battery - powered units there is little in the Code to inspect other than the location " in the vicinity of the bedrooms " and compliance with UL 2034 The manufacturer's instructions will be onsite with the device The mechanical or plumbing inspector should be able to inspect those items , but that is the local jurisdiction's decision as referenced in answer 5 above If it as a hard - wired device , then an electrical permit is appropriate Question 7 Do the requirements for carbon monoxide alarms include homes without any fuel - fired appliances or an attached garage Answer Yes The code requirements are not predicated upon a home having a fuel - fired appliance or an attached garage Question 8 If I am an electrical contractor installing an electric fence in the yard of an existing dwelling , would I be required to install carbon monoxide alarms in the dwelling PagePage 4 of 4 Johnston County Inspections Continue - R313 - Carbon Monoxide Alarms in One - and - Two - Family Dwellings and Townhouses Answer No In this case , there are no building related issues and a building permit requiring compliance with the NCRC is not being issued ; therefore , the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms is not triggered Question 9 I have an inspection for the replacement of an electric water heater the permit was requested by the plumber for his protection and per the new GS this replacement does not require the issuance of a permit Would this installation evoke the requirement for carbon monoxide alarms given that it is not " required by the Residential Code " Answer No If there are no building related issues and a building permit requiring compliance with the NCRC is not issued and a fuel - fired appliance is not being installed , the requirement for carbon monoxide protection is not triggered Question 10 For existing dwellings , would it be safe to say the carbon monoxide alarm requirements will be triggered for permits issued for Residential Building Code standards as regulated by the NC Residential Code and for trade permits issued for the installation replacement of fuel - fired appliances and all other permits , that may be issued , would not require the installation of these alarms Answer See the answer to Question 1 above Question 11 Are the carbon monoxide alarms required to be hard - wired units Answer The new carbon monoxide alarm requirements NC Residential Code , Section R313 do not include any language that requires the use of hard - wired devices It is the position of this office that the code text allows the use of alarms that are hard wired , battery operated , or plug - in The detectors must be labeled as compliant with the requirements of UL 2034 and must be installed in accordance with the device manufacturer's installation instructions Question 12 Is a carbon monoxide alarm required for fuel - fired appliances installed outdoors Answer Fuel - fired appliances located on the exterior of a dwelling structure shall be installed in accordance with its listing and the manufacturer's installation instructions and does not trigger compliance with the carbon monoxide alarm requirements of the NC Residential Code , Section R31312 The exception to this is the exterior installation fuel - fired hot air furnaces which could conceivably introduce carbon monoxide to the dwelling interior through connected ducts Keywords carbon , monoxide , alarms , detectors , fuel - firedPagePage pageNumber5Page 5 of 5 Johnston County Inspections Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation The following form is required to be completed and submitted for review when using Polyurethane Foam Insulation ; this form can be found on our website PagePage pageNumber6Page 6 of 6 Johnston County Inspections 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 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 PagePage pageNumber7Page 7 of 7 Johnston County Inspections Multipurpose Author Dean Barbour The building recession that became a depression and now has recovered back to a recession has made builders and subcontractors diversify to make a living The economy is trying to rebound and new home construction is what will have to be in place for a complete recovery Builders and subcontractors are resilient and resourceful and will do whatever it takes to make payroll Builders that used to only build houses are now building garages , decks , doghouses , cat condos and corn hole boards if you have the funds I saw a builder the other day get out of his truck in a subdivision and do physical labor ; this would have never happened in the days of Freddie Mack and Fanny Mae - getting out of his new truck in a subdivision would never happen The builders today have a used truck and they call in many price quotes for their building projects In the days of Freddie and Fanny , they would call the subcontractors and say I need you to start this job yesterday The poor subcontractor today has to price the job for wages of twenty years ago and compete against bids from surrounding counties and two foreign countries to get any work I think everybody is ready for the recovery to start and let's get back to building I have it from a good source that the HBA president is teaching classes on Media Relations and Concealed Weapons training as a combo class that carries building credits Builders and subcontractors are survivors - all they need is a house to build , an understanding banker and a new truck 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 affixed 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 January 16th - MLK Holiday April 6th - Good Friday May 28th - Memorial Day July 4th - Independence Day September 3rd - Labor Day November 12th - Veteran's Day November 22nd & 23rd - Thanksgiving th th December 24 , 25 , & 26th - ChristmasPagePage pageNumber8Page 8 of 8 Johnston County Inspections ? Here is an updated phone list 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 Cook Mike N A 422 - 6811 Hudson Shane 209 - 8322 422 - 6812 Johnson Davy N A 369 - 0308 Johnson Patrick N A 625 - 8742 Lewis Ed 209 - 8328 291 - 1571 Reeves Russell 209 - 8323 291 - 0613 Robinson Bryan 209 - 8331 201 - 0430 Sasser Brian N A 868 - 4620 Sutton Tony N A 427 - 4282Page