General: 1) (Q) What does a contractor/permit holder have to supply for an inspection? (A) Section 107.2 of the NC Administrative Code states that it is the duty of the permit holder to provide access to and means for inspection of the work for any inspections that are required by this code. 2) (Q) The Mecklenburg County inspection department preaches strongly about how hard it works to combat inconsistency in inspections and interpretations. When are you going to be consistent with other counties? (A) Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement prides itself on achieving a high level of consistency within the confines of Mecklenburg County. We however do not have authority over other counties or the decisions they render. We make interpretation recommendations and/or requests to the NC Department of Insurance from time to time and will continue to do so in and effort to provide consistent code enforcement within Mecklenburg County. 3) (Q) Where are shower pans required? (A) They are required on all showers with the exception of rinse showers at swimming pools or beaches. Shower pans shall meet the requirements list in section 417.5.2 of the NC Plumbing Code. 4) (Q) Are FROET roof drains permitted to be used in limiting the roof penetrations on commercial roof drainage systems? (A) Yes, provided that the designer uses the dual outlet type and the separation of primary and secondary systems is maintained. The primary system shall be sized per the more restrictive secondary rate. 5) (Q) Does designated accessible hotel suites have to make the non code required convenience shower, accessible? (A) No, section 29.4.3.2 of the NC Accessibility Code states tub OR shower, not both. 6) (Q) Does the Code allow the use of paint or spray materials for a shower pan liner? (A) No! Section 417.5.2 allows the use of PVC sheet, CPE sheet, sheet lead, sheet copper and preformed ABS. 7) (Q) May plumbing piping be routed within a 2 hour exit enclosure shaft? (A) No. 1 st
General continued: 8) (Q) What is the definition of Core plumbing facilities? (A) These are restrooms centrally located directly off of an accessible corridor with the quantity sized for the square footage of the floor area it serves (one to two floors max.), taking into consideration all of the occupancy types. 9) (Q) Is there an alternative for the rainfall charts listed in chapter 11 of the NC Plumbing Code? (A) Yes. Section 1106.1 allows for rainfall rates determined from local weather data. Mecklenburg County has a chart developed from data gathered from Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services. Designers may use the chart provided they clearly identify its use on the submitted plans. A copy of the chart may be obtained from the plan submittal department. 10) (Q) When measurements differ between the approved set of plans and the NC Accessibility Code, which takes president? (A) The NC Accessibility Code. (ANSI A117 starting Jan 1, 2010) 11) (Q) Does the Accessibility Code require the handle of a urinal to be placed on the open side? (A) No! 12) (Q) Do locked faculty restrooms in schools require the lavatories to have metering faucets? (Q) Yes, all assembly occupancies. 13) (Q) Do small kiddy lavatories have to meet the accessibility code, including wrapping of the trap? (A) Yes 14) (Q) Do school class service sinks require trap wraps? (A) Yes, if designated accessible. 15 (Q) What is the definition of plumbing minor repair? (A) Minor repair is difficult to clearly define and is somewhat base on the specific situation. The State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors defines minor repair: d) Any connection, repair, or alteration which requires interruption of the potable water supply and if poorly performed creates substantial risk of contamination of the potable water supply is not a minor repair, replacement or alteration. (e) Any connection, repair or alteration which if poorly performed creates substantial risk of fire or exposure to carbon monoxide, open sewage or other gases is not a minor repair, replacement or alteration. (Excerpt from GS 87-21c section.05.6)
General continued: 16) (Q) What should be done to a discarded plumbing system when a building is demolished? (A) The sewer line/s should be permitted first, cut, capped and inspected to prevent demolition debris from entering the sewer line and fouling the city main. 17) (Q) What should be done to a discarded plumbing system when one or more leased upfit spaces are demolished within a multi tenant building? (A) A licensed plumbing contractor should obtain a permit, remove and cap water lines, drainage and vent lines while assuring that vent systems serving adjoining unit/s remain uninterrupted and there will be no discharge of methane gas into a leased space. Call for inspection! 18) (Q) What is HB 1409? (A) House Bill 1409 is legislation that recently passed which exempts a one and two family homeowner from required permits when replacing electrical appliances, switches, receptacles or a water heater (gas or electric) provided that there is no change in location, voltage, capacity or amperage. The work is required to be performed by someone licensed on GS 87-43 and/or GS 87-21.
Equipment: 1) (Q) Does a ejector pump tank, installed for the future, require the contents (fluids) to be pumped prior to the final inspection? (A) The pumping of the tank would be advisable, but it would be the contractor s discretion. However, the unused openings (vent, etc.) need to be capped until they are used. 2) (Q) Does a residential fire sprinkler system require backflow devices? (A) If the fire sprinkler system is separate from the plumbing distribution system, then yes, a double check assembly would be required. 3) (Q) What size/type water heater requires a safety pan? (A) Section 504.7 does not exempt any type or size water heater or tank from the requirement of safety pans. 4) (Q) What type of backflow protection is required on restaurant type beverage dispensers? (A) Beverage dispensers shall be protected by an air gap or a backflow device meeting the requirements of ASSE 1022 or CSA B64.3.1. Devices meeting these requirements are double check design, usually stainless steel. 5) (Q) May two water heaters piped together be placed in an alcove, one in front of the other? (A) Yes, provided that both equipment s controls are fully accessible for service or replacement without removing the other water heater. 6) (Q) May a plastic pan designed for use with a tankless water heater be used in an attic space? (A) Yes, provided that the equipment s distance to combustibles is maintained. 7) (Q) May a contractor use Armorflex insulation to to insulate the water lines feeding a gas fired water heater installed in an unconditioned space? (A) Armorflex with an R value of 6.5 may be used to insulate the pipe until it encroaches on the combustible clearance space so designated by the equipment manufacturer. 8) (Q) May a disappearing stairwell encroach on the required service space for a water heater installed in an attic? (A) No. 9) (Q) Does a building whose water service is connected through a backflow device, have to install an expansion device if the water heater used is of the instantaneous type? (A) No. There would be no thermal expansion. 1 st
Equipment continued: 10) (Q) Are connections for other fixtures or equipment allowed between a water heater and its water service valve? (A) No! 11) (Q) Can you use a ¾ X1 pex adapter and a 1 pex pipe to install a t&p discharge drain? (A) The ones we have check did not seem to restrict the inside diameter and would be approved. However not all fittings are the same and there may be those that would not work. 12) (Q) Would standing on a set of steps serve as the required access to a water heater installed in an attic space? (A) No 13) (Q) When are thermal expansion devices required? (A) These devices are required on distribution systems containing a water heater and a backflow or check valve that would prohibit the expanding water from backing up into the main OR if the water main pressure exceeds the pressure rating of the T&P valve.
Fixtures: 1) (Q) What are the procedures for calculating the minimum number of plumbing facilities? (A) A brief explanation: (Step 1) Divide the upfit space into its various uses using the NC Building Code (i.e., assembly, business, storage, etc.) (Step2) Using the particular use, the associated square footage and the Building Code, obtain the number of people required for your egress calculation. Continue until all spaces/uses are calculated. (Step 3) Take these egress figures, divide by 2 to get a 50/50 split between male and female and enter table 403.1 (NC Plumbing Code) one sex at a time. Do the math. Take the total/s, from the various uses and add them together for each fixture s grand total. Round up. This will be the fixtures TOTAL for the upfit. Repeat for each fixture for both male and female. This procedure is adequate for most occupancy uses but some types of occupancies may require additional, more detailed analysis. 2) (Q) May the 67% rule (section 419.2) for converting water closets to urinals be applied to the total male fixture count when there multiple restrooms? (A) No. The 67% rule is applied to each and every toilet room. 3) (Q) What water distribution protection is required for a baptismal pool? (A)The distribution system may be protected by an air gap, an atmospheric device or a double check assembly.
Interceptors & Special Waste: 1) (Q) Do car washes have to provide approved interceptors in the process loop of recycled wash water? (A) Designers wishing to clean recycled water (i.e., car washes, steaming stations, pressure washing) with systems like the Cyclonator, do not have to be on the approved interceptor list. The Code does not apply to process piping, only discharges to the sanitary sewer system. 2) (Q) May clear water waste such as a hand sink be installed on a greasy waste line? (A) The intent of the Code is to separate the waste however, if the designer would rather incorporate the additional load on the interceptor instead of adding a separate clear waste line, that would be acceptable. 3) (Q) Do residential style washing machines used in occupancies such as a doctor s office, hair salons, or day cares, have to discharge through a commercial lint interceptor? (A) Occupancies that use commercial tumble machines or coin operated machines would be better defined as a commercial laundry operation and would require a lint interceptor. Occupancies that utilize a residential style washing machine with intermittent use would NOT be defined as a commercial laundry operation and the filtering designed into the machine would be sufficient.
Drainage: 1) (Q) What are the stipulations, if any, on the replacement of drainage piping on fire damaged structures? (A) The damaged piping may be replaced with piping materials and methods used at the time the structure was built. The only difference would be penetrations through rated assemblies. These penetrations are considered life safety and would have to meet the Code. 2) (Q) Is a drain required at a swimming pool rinse shower? (A) A drain is not required unless the designer changes the scope of the rinse shower to a shower for washing by the addition of hot water. 3) (Q) What is the meaning of exception 5 of 708.10 of the NC Plumbing Code? (A) The exceptions are other acceptable ways to meet the requirements for a C/O at the upstream end of a drain line. Exception 5 would allow a horizontally run line catching a fixture such as a shower, to locate the C/O for that line on the fixtures vent as long as it is above the fixtures flood rim. 4) (Q) Do we require a roof over a can wash located outside? (A) No. 5) (Q) Does the plumbing code allow slopes less than 1/8 per foot? (A) Yes the Code supports 1/16 per foot on 8 and larger lines. NCDENR allows 1/16 on the large lines including 6 lines. We will allow, as an alternative method, the uses of 1/16 per foot on 6 and larger lines provided the engineer provides a sealed letter stating the design load and slope will maintain a minimum 2 fps flow rate. 6) (Q) When can Fernco fittings be used? (A) Section 705.18 allows the use fo connectors and adapters consisting of elastomeric sleeve and stainless steel clamps when joining dissimilar materials. The use of directional fittings (tee or wye) is prohibited. The adapter coupling may be used above or below grade. 7) (Q) May a contractor install a floor drain in a residential single family garage with a sloped floor for the purposes of collecting run off from a parked vehicle and direct that to a dry well or discharge above grade? (A) Water Quality does not want drains which could convey oil contaminants to the earth or water ways (streams). Drains in a garage should therefore be connected to a sanitary sewer connection. 1 st
Drainage continued: 8) 9) (Q) What is the minimum depth for the pump discharge line on a whole house sewage ejector? (A) 12 (Q) Exactly where does a condensate drain have to be located? (A) It should be as close as possible to the appliance it serves but accessible for priming. There may be other limitations depending on where you choose to locate the drain. 10) (Q) What are the limitations on the use of a 4X3 closet bend? (A) A 4X3 closet bend may be used directly below the closet flange. There shall be no tee fittings between the flange and the bend.
Venting: 1) (Q) Does the Code allow the use of a combination instead of a sanitary tee in a waste stack catching a lavatory or sink? (A) Table 706.3 would suggest that a combination may be used in any position in the direction of flow. However, section 906.2 stipulates that a fixture branch may not exceed it s hydraulic gradient and therefore would prohibit the use a combination in this situation. 2) (Q) Does the Code still require that water closets back to back be installed with a double combination? (A) The 2006 Code required the use of a double combination on back to back water closets. The restriction was removed in the 2009 NC Plumbing Code. 3) (Q) In the drawing 802.2.2 (2) of the 2006 NC Plumbing Code Commentary a floor drain (no trap) is discharging above the trap seal of a second floor drain. Is this installation legal? (A) This installation may be used with receptors receiving condensate and clear water drips and is approved on a case by case basis. When allowed, the maximum distance shall not exceed 25. 4) (Q) There seems to be some discrepancy with the enforcement and understanding of section 909.4 of the NC Plumbing Code (2009). When will the code as written be enforced? (A) We will additional in house training to get Plan Review and Field up to speed. Permits issued after Sept 1, 2009 should be in compliance.
Venting continued: 5) (Q) Will the 2009 NC Plumbing Code allow the use of AAV s in acid waste systems? (A) Section 917.8 prohibits installation of AAV s in nonneutralized special waste systems (acid) or supply or return air plenums. 6) (Q) Does the 2009 NC Plumbing Code require floors without plumbing (i.e. parking decks, etc.) when calculation relief vents? (A) No. 7) (Q) May AAV s be placed outside the building? (A) They must be installed per manufacturer s instructions. Two of the ones I checked have maximum cold weather limitation of - 40 degrees. PVC should not be installed in direct sun light. 8) (Q) May you install a single branch with two traps (fixtures) on a vertical combination waste and vent system? (A) Vertical combination waste and vent systems are designed to have each trap connect individually to the vertical stack. A branch with more than on fixture trap would have to be conventionally vented and the load would be accounted for in the stacks total.
Water Distribution: 1) (Q) May a contractor use CPVC water distribution piping in HVAC return air plenums? (A) Plastic water piping may be used in return air plenums provide it meets the requirements of section 602.2.1 of the NC Mechanical Code which requires that material located in a return plenum have a developed flame/smoke index of 25/50 or less (in accordance with ASTM E84). Not all CPVC products will have the required index rating. 2) (Q) Does a CPVC hot water loop have to be insulated? (A) Yes (per 2009 NC Energy Code). The hot water loop (not the run outs) must be insulated with 1 insulation having a btu transfer rate not exceeding 0.27 per foot. 3) (Q) Do shower valve replacements require permitting and inspections? (A) Yes