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  1. S

    ...Manufacturers air barrier instructions..

    Regarding IECC section C402.4.1.2.1 have any of you seen air barrier construction instructions from the manufacturers of the 15 listed products?
  2. S

    Conex Boxes as dwellings?

    We had one proposed, but the designer was having a little trouble meeting the IECC, and having rooms with a minimum 7'0" dimension and a 3'0" hallway. Dimensions were pushing toward a shotgun design.
  3. S

    FDC for residential fire sprinkler systems?

    I think that it is a very bad idea to include a FDC in a 13D system. The components are not rated for the pressures involved. What good does it do to pump the system, if the components blow out in areas away from the fire and render the pressure at the appropriate head nil?
  4. S

    Renting rooms?

    Our city tried to define "family" and got slapped by the Montana human rights bureau. The upshot of their ruling was that any restrictive definition of "family" is discriminatory. So here, anyway, as long as they share a house, they are a family.
  5. S

    Misuse of ADA kills business

    Sometimes I long for the days of trial by combat.
  6. S

    Outdoor heaters

    The IECC defines building as "Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy." I don't know that a reception area would not fall under that definition regardless of walls or not. A canopy is certainly a structure.
  7. S

    Wisconsin Division of Safety and Buildings

    You know, this may be necessary. If they intend to crowd 60 students into each classroom with a single exit then they may well need to limit code enforcement.
  8. S

    Stretching the Limit?

    I stand corrected. Thank you.
  9. S

    Stretching the Limit?

    Makes no difference. If it is a mezzanine, the area counts as first floor area, and you are oversize. If 2 story, then just 200% sprinkler increase, and you are oversize.
  10. S

    Nfa alumni

    prayers for a quick recovery indeed.
  11. S

    Anyone have history with Incinolet Toilets?

    Here they need to be approved as an alternate sewage disposal means by our county health department as well. Convincing a sanatarian might be difficult.
  12. S

    Fence permits... (I know...)

    It is surprising how many fences are underdesigned for wind load. We make it clear that our review is just for that issue, and not for boundary location.
  13. S

    According to the IRC, are decks floors?

    Snow varies in density from a very light powder that might be 7% water to a dense heavy snow that might be in excess of 80%. You can't figure snow load on volume, it must be done on a weight basis.
  14. S

    Code cycle--State of Washington

    I'm looking at my '79 code book. $24.55, and it included all the material (now adopted by reference and very expensive to acquire) that one needed to persciptively design. I'm not sure that the "advances" in the art are making us that much more safe. Truth be told, the substantiative changes...
  15. S

    Is this wrong?

    For the location of the nails, unfortunately, the language in the IRC (R602.3 for example) says either use the NDS or the tables in the IRC. The NDS has specific (minimum) edge distance requirements, I can find none in the IRC. You could perhaps show intent of the code using the NDS edge...
  16. S

    Incentives for Going Green

    In my experience, "green" generally means unusual materials or construction, or systems, or additional paperwork. These inevitably take our inspectors, reviewers, clerks more time than "conventional" construction. As our department is entirely funded by permit fees, properly these projects...
  17. S

    Homes constructed from Shipping Containers

    It would seem that in order to meet the minimum square footage for a dwelling, it would take two or more put together (as is shown in some of the photographs). It would take structural design (especially where all of those holes are cut. It would take considerable modification to meet cold...
  18. S

    Certified Building Official Exams

    Like Pyrguy, mine was in three parts, so I don't know how this relates to the current exam. But back then, the best route was to gain some experience, critically study the suggested references, gain some more experience, ask questions, then study some more. Then haul your 100 pound load of...
  19. S

    Open letter to my plan checker

    I put many stamps on plans that strictly speaking should not be needed. Most of these are cautionary in nature. Many of these are at the direction of the City Attorney because of past legal difficulties. It takes little time to stamp what should be an obvious caution, and occasionally it...
  20. S

    What ICC Leaders Should Do....

    I believe that the ICC has lost its focus. The tail wagging the dog these days is the concentration on public policy issues and "best construction practices" to the detriment of minimum standards of life safety and health. It is wonderful that people are concerned about access, energy...
  21. S

    "Assisted Living Facility" Occupancy Group

    You also must examine the issue of the residents aging in place. Unless there is a clear policy to expel those who need the most assistance, then in a few years there may well be people incapable of recognizing an emergency, and it sets up a situation where some government official may be in...
  22. S

    Coat Hooks

    and that they don't stick out more than 4". LOL
  23. S

    Double wide re-roofing?

    Years back, I actually found a HUD person who would talk to me. That person indicated that if they didn't have a loan on a HUD building, they would not authorize any repair. These are built to a performance standard, witness the 2x2 trusses. If you attempt to apply the IRC to it, you might...
  24. S

    I gotta pee!

    It's wonderful that the code places requirements intended to provide public toilets that cannot be verified until after the C of O is issued ("96 IBC 2902.4) or I believe that this is this section's intent. Once the C of o is issued, it becomes very difficult for the building code official to...
  25. S

    R202 Definitions

    I believe that the "habitable attic" definition was placed in the code solely to allow 4 story residences without changing the scope statement in R-101.2 as that would have required a change to the IBC. I question whether the egress window is of much value, as egress window requirements in the...
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