PMG Codes Focus on Clean Air, Child Safety, Drinking Fountains
December 31, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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New features of the 2009 International Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes (PMG) include revised outdoor air ventilation requirements aimed at improving air quality, requirements for locking caps on air-conditioning units to prevent inhalation of refrigerants and consistency in calculating restroom size in businesses.
The new codes, available in March, address the design, installation and performance of plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas systems to ensure they are safe and efficient, according to the International Code Council (ICC).
New features in the 2009 International Plumbing Code (IPC) include:
- Establishments with occupant loads of 15 or fewer are no longer required to provide drinking fountains.
- Site-built shower pans must be leak tested to ensure watertight installation to prevent future repairs.
- The new code-required method for calculating the number of plumbing fixtures is aimed at preventing a shortage of fixtures in business occupancies.
- The 2009 International Private Sewage Disposal Code is now printed within the IPC. It includes provisions for design, installation and inspection of private sewage disposal systems.
New requirements in the 2009 International Mechanical Code (IMC) include:
- Revised outdoor air ventilation requirements to reflect American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Inc. (ASHRAE) 62 and improve the indoor air quality performance of systems designed to the IMC.
- Increase from 25 feet to 35 feet the maximum length of a clothes dryer duct to provide flexibility for locating clothes dryers.
- A new section requiring locking access caps on outdoor refrigerant systems to prevent children from accessing and potentially inhaling the refrigerant.
New elements in the 2009 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) include:
- New bonding requirements for corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) piping systems to reduce the chance of damage from lightning.
- Revisions to address the problem created by appliance/hood interlock arrangements that shut off the gas supply to appliances equipped with standing pilot ignition systems.
- A new code section requiring all vents that penetrate an exterior wall to be permanently sealed around the penetration to prevent the entry of combustion products.
For prepurchase information, visit the ICC web site.
Source: International Code Council (ICC).