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  1. M

    Do showers require toilets?

    My vote goes for no toilets required - shower only. The intent is to provide a place for someone to clean up a bit after a long trip.
  2. M

    Ducts on roof

    1601.4.6 (2) Exterior duct systems shall be protected against the elements. 1103.3.1 Has insulation values - but only speaks to ducts in attics, ducts in other portion of the building and ducts completely within thermal envelope. If the IRC doesn't cover a topic, reference IBC and its relevant...
  3. M

    Local Governments Lose Right To Vote.

    ICC not addressing these items in the building code does not prevent local jurisdiction from addressing them at the local level. It would be nice to have consistent rules throughout, but what works for one region does not necessarily work for another - regardless of where this would end up some...
  4. M

    vapor barrier and slim LED recessed fixture

    2018 IECC Table 402.4.1.1 Where a recessed fixture penetrates the air barrier it shall be sealed or gasketed to the finish. Fixture shall be air thight and IC rated. Vapor barrier is usually not continuous - the kraft paper used on insulation is never taped together nor does it have to be - at...
  5. M

    Makeup Air Temperature

    Not an ME but do have some mech experience. This could turn into a lot of work. I would perform a complete heat loss and heat gain calcs for the building, that would include the additional ventilation loads to see if the new system will be able to provide the neccessary heating & cooling. If...
  6. M

    Minimum Clear Height for Parking Garage

    If you need to provide accessible parking, remember that van accessible parking requires 98" vertical clearance. If not, then disregard.
  7. M

    Services provided for commercial tenants

    If there is no water to the bathroom then 505.1 could be applicable as the required hot/cold water is not being supplied to the lav. Or 504.1 that requires that plumbing fixtures must be in functional condition. If there are other bathrooms available then this might be harder to apply.
  8. M

    35' spaced brace wall lines for a 40x40' structure

    I read the guide to bracing from one of the handbooks that ICC publishes. They specifically stated there (but not in the code itself) that the intent of that 4' rule is not to artificially reduce your BWL spacing when the actual entire wall length is 4' away from it - such as along BWL1. The...
  9. M

    Maneuvering clearance at an exit door?

    If you have to make a 90 degree turn then the doors are not in series. I second what Paul said. If there is enough space (i.e. 30X48 beyond the swing of the first door) to move out of the way to let the first door close, and then approach the 2nd door, I would consider that code compliant if I...
  10. M

    Services provided for commercial tenants

    There is a chapter in the international fire code that applies to existing building (chapter 11). That should be the property owners responsibility to meet the code rather than to a specific tenant though. Property Maintenance Code also has some sections that can be used in non-residential...
  11. M

    HVAC calculations for GYM

    I meant Manual N - for light commercial projects.
  12. M

    HVAC calculations for GYM

    ASHRAE is a good one, I've used ACCA Manual J - They have some speedsheets that can be used in certain circumstances. A gym use is unique due to the activity taking place and how much heat and moisture is generated, and if you have a pool that further adds to complexity. As CDA suggested, a...
  13. M

    Can't find driveway ramping limitations in zoning code

    If the ramp will be used as part of means of egress then check out IBC 1012.2 Otherwise if no other regulations would apply, then I would design the ramp based on the type of vehicles that will be using it.
  14. M

    Feeder Calcs

    NEC 2008 Section 220.14 (A) and (I) Suppose: A receptacle outlet is installed, so that a copy machine can be installed with a wattage of 1500. The copy machine is connected via an attachment plug to a receptacle. How would you consider this, when determining the feeder/service demand load...
  15. M

    Required Accessible Benches

    In addition to the reach ranges, the controls (operating parts) to open the locker should be graspable and use less than 5# of force.
  16. M

    Minimum fenestration/ventilation, and a sliding glass door

    You can design a Single Family Residence to IBC standards or the IRC. In this case as a designer I would chose to design the building to the IBC exception. For the ventilation issue, you can substitute mechanical ventilation for natural ventilation by providing a whole house mechanical...
  17. M

    ADA Compliant Restaurant Bathrooms

    The Illinois accessibility code requires that the partition provide a toe clearance at the side partition of 9" in high, and 6" deep beyond the compartment side face exclusive of the partition support members (unless the width of the compartment is increased to 66"). So just make sure that your...
  18. M

    Orange Foam in Commercial Buildings

    I think they mean the thickness of the plate... i.e. 1 1/2" for a single and 3" for a double.
  19. M

    2015 C403.2.6.1 Demand Control Ventilation (DCV)

    I do not have an extended knowledge of HVAC controls, but I could see this being accomplished by a combination of sensors/logic boards. The DCV would really only control the system during the opening and closing of a restaurant when the hoods are not operating and when the CO2 levels are...
  20. M

    Masonry piers for exterior walls

    Ultimately the lateral loads have to end up going into the foundation - so they get transferred from the braced wall panels into the floor... and the floor is connected to the masonry piers. I don't think the code provides a method of attachment between the two for the given condition. I would...
  21. M

    Circuit Breaker on an Air Handler

    I see that as an option on RTU's when specifying the model number. You can usually get them with a unit mounted nonfused disconnect or a unit mounted circuit breaker. Why would you chose one over the other?
  22. M

    Front door orientation for energy compliance

    from what i heard the intent was to provide a quick confirmation that the paperwork matches the plan i.e. when building the same house over an over again the calculations reflect the proper orientation of the house.
  23. M

    Heaving slab with Insulation?

    The insulation required in the energy code section is not for frost protection of foundation - it is to limit the amount of heat loss thru the slab. Frost protection for the structure would have to be provided by a different method unless the code specifically does not require frost protection...
  24. M

    Chicago code drywall basement ceiling

    type III-B construction requires 1 hour fire rated floor/ceiling systems, and any beams or columns supporting this floor/ceiling must also be 1 hour fire rated. The section you were quoted was Table 13-60-100.
  25. M

    Exiting from Future / Shelled Space?

    That's a nice heads up from the plan reviewer. If you anticipate needing two exits from the space in the future and the direction to swing out, why not plan for it now? If you want to lessen the occupant load and it is likely that it will be retail, then call it future retail or office. Although...
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