Land Use and Environmental Services Code Enforcement. Table of Contents

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1 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) Chapter 1 Administration Chapter 3 General Regulations Chapter 5 Chimneys & Vents Chapter 7 Gaseous Hydrogen S. POLICY Table of Contents Chapter 2 Definitions Chapter 4 Gas Piping Install. Chapter 6 Specific Appliances. Chapter 8 Ind./Special Waste OTHER Chapter 1 Administration 1) (Q) Is a gas test on the piping required on a tankless water heater connected to a gas meter located only 5 feet away from the water heater? (A) Yes. No exceptions to gas test requirements NCFGC 2012 Chapter 2 Definitions Chapter 3 General Regulations 1) (Q) We build Natural Gas Fire Pits and we recently built one for the residents of a home in Charlotte. The unit they purchased is built on a solid Copper frame with a high quality Stainless Steel manual match lit burner system similar to this one on our website. The Gas Fire Pit has no electronic parts and the match lit system is very easy to ignite: hold a long safety lighter over the burner while slowly turning the key valve open similar to how many masonry fireplaces operate. This is built with quality parts with the greatest attention to detail and we have built (and installed in some cases) this fire pit for dozens of hotels, restaurants, and residences without any issues. I was referred to you by Piedmont Natural Gas. Piedmont NG was supposed to run a gas line below the deck to where the fire pit is supposed to go but wasn t able to complete that task until he had a installation manual for the fire pit. Because this is a custom fire pit with a simple match lit system we do not have any formal installation manual. Do you know exactly what information Piedmont Natural Gas needs before running a gas line for the homeowner? After speaking with Piedmont Natural Gas it appears to me that there is very little information on code requirements for outdoor gas burner systems (i.e.: fire pits) in Mecklenburg County. With that said, I wanted to speak with you to determine exactly what information about this fire pit is needed to ensure that it is up to code and can be connected to the gas line that Piedmont is supposed to run? 1

2 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) (A) As Piedmonts stated the product you are referring to would have to be 10 feet away from any structure including the deck which is considered a structure per the NC Building Code. If it was located 10 feet away from structures we would only inspect the gas line up to the first fitting. After that the installation would be considered out of the scope of our code requirements. If the fire pit is being installed on the deck it would have to be a listed and labeled product with specific manufacturer s installation instructions including clearances from combustibles, safety shutoff devices, and operation guidelines etc , NCFGC ) (Q) A ventless firebox installation for a two sided fireplace is in an assembly area. The gas code would prohibit the installation in assembly occupancies per NCFGC, however, this is a bio fuel so I think it would be regulated by the Mechanical Code per NCFGC. ) The mechanical code section would, at a minimum, require an appliance to be listed and labeled. I did not see a listing on this product data. The logs use denatured alcohol as a fuel source and are not listed. The natural gas ones had a listing. Do logs burning denatured alcohol need a listing when installed in an enclosed fireplace? (A) The UL listing for the 900DB covers the requirement for an approved fire box, however, the firebox is located in an Assembly occupancy, there are further restrictions for the use of Class I fuels for open flame decorative appliances. Denatured alcohol would be a class I liquid. The bio fuel fire place would not be allowed. The code reference is NC Fire Prevention Code section NCFGC 3) (Q) A contractor has failed inspection because make up air was not provided for fireplaces. He stated Combustion air would be provided through infiltration. Is contractor correct in this installation? (A) NO. N.C. Fuel gas Code: Makeup air provisions. Where exhaust fans, clothes dryers and kitchen ventilation systems interfere with the operation of appliances and fireplaces, makeup air shall be provided NCFGC 2012 Definition: AIR, MAKEUP: Air that is provided to replace air being exhausted. Chapter 4 Gas Piping Install 1) (Q) An engineer is designing some new gas fired equipment to be installed in a large industrial building. The engineer provides a design for the piping to the new equipment that is connected to the existing gas piping for the building. The design includes a 2

3 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) 3 statement of the total BTUH load of existing equipment, and the design of the new piping added to the new equipment with BTUH loads, material of piping, pipe size and distances from the connection point to existing piping and the new equipment. Is it necessary for the designer to provide the complete design for all equipment served by the gas service for the building? Can the designer include a statement for the total distances or longest run of the existing piping and existing loads to satisfy code requirements? (A) The designer is responsible for showing a complete gas piping system if they choose to connect to an existing system. An alternate would be to run a dedicated line back to the service and show a design only for the equipment connected to the dedicated line , NCFGC ) (Q) Brass fittings have always been allowed in underground gas lines. Recently I was turned down for using them. Can you clarify this and code reference for me this may be a change in the 2012 code I am not aware of? (A) Brass compression fittings shall not be used however flared brass fitting are approved for underground installation , NCFGC ) (Q) I continued to look if there were even newer versions of that DOI ruling on protection, and I found one for 2009 & for the 2012 Fuel Gas Codes. I ve attached them both. The 2009 reads the same as the one you gave me, but the 2012 is much vaguer. Does the 2012 ruling removes the specific 36 requirement found in all the previous rulings, or would that still apply? What are your thoughts? (A) The questions and code references in both DOI Interpretations are the same. We see no significant change in the 2009 and the 2012 gas code section. The DOI 2012 interpretation merely expands on the 2009 interpretation. Mecklenburg County Code enforcement will continue to enforce the 3 foot above grade requirement for the 2012 North Carolina Fuel/Gas Code. NCDOI 2009 and 2012 NCFGC interpretations are included below in (a) 2009 Code and (b) 2012 Code in italics for reference below. Ref: NCFGC (a) Question: 2009 DOI interpretation of NCFGC Is aboveground gas piping outdoors required to be protected? Answer: Yes. Section states "Piping installed above ground, outdoors, and installed across the surface of roofs shall be securely supported and located where it will be protected from physical damage."

4 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) Copper tubing, corrugated stainless steel tubing (csst), and brass pipe shall be protected with a schedule 40 polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sleeve or equivalent from a point 3 inches below grade to a point 3 feet above grade. The protection shall be provided at the building, when the piping is not protected by the gas meter, gas appliance or other means, and also at the storage tank when L P gas is used. The protection will not be required for black steel and galvanized steel pipe. When the manufacturer s installation instructions require additional protection, the protection shall be provided. Exposed ferrous metal shall be protected from corrosion. (b)question: 2012 DOI Interpretation of NCFGC Is outdoor aboveground gas piping required to be protected? Answer: Yes. Section states; "Piping installed above ground, outdoors, and installed across the surface of roofs shall be securely supported and located where it will be protected from physical damage." This section requires elevating the piping 3 1/2 inches. This dimension correlates with 4x4 pressure treated lumber and is intended to keep it from moisture. Section states; Where in contact with material or atmosphere exerting a corrosive action, metallic piping and fittings coated with a corrosive resistant material shall be used. 4) (Q) What are the requirements for inspection of a gas test for low pressure and for high pressure? The 2012 code has different test requirements from the 2009 Code. 4 (A) We will continue to test low and high pressure gas under the same format as the 2009 Code (the old 10/10 and 50/10 test systems). We are using the 2009 code test requirements as an alternate method with the approval of Bill Moeller of DOI. Ref NCFG 5) (Q) A fuel piping contractor is purging a 3 inch gas pipe inside a high rise building. There is not a means to purge the pipe to the outside as required by code. Is there another way the contractor can purge the system without purging to the outside and still meet minimum code? (A) Yes. The exception to would allow purging inside the building under specific conditions stated in the exception Exception NCFGC ) (Q) Gas piping is installed exposed in the ceiling of a ware house. The piping is supported by metal pipe hooks except where it crosses a 10 inch sprinkler line where it is supported by the top of the sprinkler piping. Should the inspector approve the installation? What would the code require?

5 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) (A) The inspector should not approve the installation. The sprinkler piping shall not be used to support the gas piping NCFGC 2012 Chapter 5 Chimneys & Vents 1) (Q) A contractor is installing a vent connector as part of a natural draft system in accordance with the manufacturer s installation instructions. The vent connector has been installed without the code required slope upward toward the chimney of one quarter inch. Can this installation be approved by the inspector? (A) Yes. As long as the vent connector is installed per the manufacturers installation Instructions a slope greater than quarter inch may be used Exception NCFGC 2) (Q) We are installing a tankless gas water heater in the garage of a single family dwelling. The installation manual for the tankless condensing type heater will require the exhaust to be about 110 degrees instead of the typical 400 degrees. The manual specifies 4" PVC venting. We want to run the PVC in the ceiling of the garage. There are open web trusses spanning the garage. The pipe would go vertically up to the trusses, then turn horizontal and stay within the trusses until it exits via the side wall of the house. At no point does it penetrate the floor above the garage. It does penetrate the garage ceiling. Will this be a problem? 5 (A) If in the garage, we cannot have a PVC pipe penetrating the floor/ceiling assembly (this is rated) If in the garage, then up and through the sidewall would be fine. Sheet rock goes on the bottom of the trusses, therefore the plastic venting would be penetrating the rated assembly. Plastic piping cannot penetrate this area. Stainless Steel only. The only method for ceiling penetration would be a concentric venting kit made out of Stainless Steel (this manufacturer has one). See Residential Building Code Chapter 6 Specific Appliances Chapter 7 Gaseous Hydrogen S. Chapter 8 Ind./Special Waste POLICY 1) (Q) While inspecting a partial up fit on an existing commercial job for new work (gas piping) the inspector finds that there is not a gas cut off required by minimum code for

6 3rd Quarter 2013 Code Answers in blue (Jul Sep) 2013 Code Answers in red (Oct Dec) the appliances. Can the inspector require the cut offs to bring the appliance gas piping up to code? (A) If the code deficiency could be considered a life safety issue and the cut off was required by the code when it was installed the inspector shall require the owner to bring the installation up to current code , 101.4, (lawfully installed), NCFGC 2) (Q) In the example above if the inspector discovers the violation in an area adjacent to the inspected/permitted tenant space? (A) If the inspector can physically see a life safety violation the owner shall be notified to make the correction , 101.4, (lawfully installed), NCFGC 3) (Q) How much of the North Carolina boiler code does Mecklenburg County enforce? Where does the boiler code start and where the mechanical, plumbing, does and fuel gas code stop? (A) Mecklenburg County does not enforce any of the North Carolina boiler code, including air for combustion, venting, safety controls, blow down, and condensate return system. Mecklenburg County s responsibility stops and the fuel connection, and after the back flow device connection. See NC Dept. of Labor Boiler and Pressure Vessel Division requirements, Title 13, Chapter 13, revised August 1, OTHER; Policies, General Information 6