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Building Codes and Inspections/Questions Answered by Expert Fred Weldin
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Primary AC drain | 3/17/2012 |
| Q: Does the plumbing code allow the use of an auxiliary AC condensation pump as the primary in new ... A: Elaine: First, the "cutoff" should be in the pump housing, higher than the switch that operates the ... | |
| Primary AC drain | 3/15/2012 |
| Q: Does the plumbing code allow the use of an auxiliary AC condensation pump as the primary in new ... A: Elaine: The Mechanical Code does not specifically prohibit condensate pumps, but it does require ... | |
| LP furnace in Garage | 11/16/2011 |
| Q: Fred You had answered a question some time ago about a gas furnace in a garage. To expand on that ... A: Wayne: A closet is not required, but protection from the vehicle(s) is. If there's no protection ... | |
| Asbestos Abatement and Insulation Career advice | 11/15/2011 |
| Q: I'm not sure if you can help me but its worth a shot here, and really I just need ... A: Dave: I'm not involved with asbestos abatement, but I spoke with a friend who's an Industrial ... | |
| Altering Foundation | 10/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a customer that, while I stopped the job due to conflicts with contracted work, hired an ... A: I don't do structural/architectural. However, I have worked as a contractor, and interfaced with ... | |
| vent fan | 7/7/2011 |
| Q: does my vent fan in the bathroom have to run from the outside? A: TD: Yes (I assume you mean "to the outside"). Furthermore, many jurisdictions require round metal ... | |
| Gas fired hot water heater flue | 7/1/2011 |
| Q: i live in mexico and am building a wood frame house. Im going to install a rheem 152ltr gas fired ... A: Ryan: Forgive me, but I was trying to be polite. Please look at this from my perspective: Here's a ... | |
| stoves& vent a hood | 12/31/2010 |
| Q: We are installing a new kitchen in are organization, what are the codes for installing new vent a ... A: Ray: NFPA 96 is the national Standard. You'll need a LOT: Suppression, hood exhaust, automatic gas ... | |
| Tennat sleeping in the furnace room | 12/27/2010 |
| Q: My father passed away and I have been able to rent out his house. I plan to sell as soon as there's ... A: Vicky: Fred | |
| international mechancial code hanging furance | 11/4/2010 |
| Q: I just built a 23,000 foot building with 18 foot ceilings 1200 foot bays I hung heil air handler ... A: Gary: I signed on here to help homeowners with problems, and I do that for free. Contact me through ... | |
| direct vent water heater | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: are direct vent water heater legal to install in a garage for the city of los angeles. i h have 2 ... A: Joe: I signed on here to help homeowners with problems. I can't envision a home with three water ... | |
| asbestos in heating of a tract house | 9/7/2010 |
| Q: The house was built in 1969 in a tract of Camarillo, CA. The furnace was replaced in the 2000 to ... A: Eileen: Fred | |
| boiler room ventilation | 8/10/2010 |
| Q: I’m currently having my basement renovated and a new steam boiler put in. The contractor will frame ... A: Alex: Forgive me, but what are you doing heating with steam in this day and age? It's the least ... | |
| water heater/boiler | 7/28/2010 |
| Q: the home i live in is VERY old and the boiler is pretty old with some exposed wires and the water ... A: Samantha: Hard to say. It would be OK so long as the appliances (to include all controls and access ... | |
| gas hot water tank | 6/4/2010 |
| Q: how much clearance do you need around a gas hot water tank mine is in a little closet it is 50, 000 ... A: Jay: Good question! Fred | |
| plumbing | 5/14/2010 |
| Q: Is it legal to drill a 3/4 hole in a 4 copper pipe and to sweat a 3/4 line to that hole instead of ... A: Rich: Fred | |
| Bathroom venting | 3/10/2010 |
| Q: what are the codes for residential bathroom exhaust vent material. Is vinyl flex still allowed. A: Patrick: The toilet exhaust is a duct like any other in the home. Only approved materials are ... | |
| gas water heater and furnace | 3/1/2010 |
| Q: My home has the gas furnace and the gas water heater in the same utility room (5' x 5') with a ... A: Addison: Fred | |
| gas water heater venting | 2/18/2010 |
| Q: I have a 40 gal gas fired Rheem water heater, 5 yrs old. It is currently vented with 3 inch dia ... A: Adam: Fred | |
| help | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: fred, i recently purchased a 90+% gas furnace that has a concentric direct vent. i'm thinking of ... A: Shaun: Fred | |
| Fart Fan Duct Code | 10/27/2009 |
| Q: Fredericksburg, VA: Rebuilding a house struck by fire. The fart fan is 3", hard pipe running to a ... A: Roger: Fred | |
| gas h2o htr install | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: 1. I have a gas (LP) tankless water heater to install. I have no problem with the install itself but ... A: Don: I respect your expertise, but this is specialized: Are you equipped to measure manifold ... | |
| gas h2o htr install | 8/17/2009 |
| Q: 1. I have a gas (LP) tankless water heater to install. I have no problem with the install itself but ... A: Don: I must advise against DIY gas water heater installation; too much can go wrong, and the risks ... | |
| residential codes re windows | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: a friend of mine that lives out by dekalb was shopping for new windows for his house, one of the ... A: Debbie: I was told the same thing when I built a house in 1993. Just looked through the 2003 IRC, ... | |
| Vent for gas stove? | 5/18/2009 |
| Q: Does a residential gas stove require some sort of venting system? The builder of our new home ... A: Michael: You must be like me: Our kitchen is only there for resale. Seriously, we don't do much ... | |
| Hot Water Heater Exhaust | 5/13/2009 |
| Q: My hot water tank sits on the opposite side of my homes basement from where the water demand is in ... A: Doug: I like your idea, it'll save you some money on gas. Tjernlund is one manufacturer offering a ... | |
| Installing High Eff. Gas HWH with power vent in crawl space | 4/23/2009 |
| Q: Is it legal to install a high efficincy power vent gas hot water heater in a crawl space. Note the ... A: Dave: This goes to access: You must have a 22" wide, 30" high passageway that's no longer than 20 ... | |
| Mechanical issues... | 7/21/2008 |
| Q: Weldin, I'm buying a new home in Houston, TX. Before sheetrock was installed, I saw some air ducts ... A: Duke:You'll have to go to your builder (you might also try the local mechanical Inspector); the ... | |
| Mechanical issues... | 7/17/2008 |
| Q: Weldin, I'm buying a new home in Houston, TX. Before sheetrock was installed, I saw some air ducts ... A: Duke: Which came first, the duct or the wiring? I don't know of any Code requirement that would ... | |
| gas furnace in the garage | 6/11/2008 |
| Q: I am about to by a new house and the home inspector I highered had some problems with the gas ... A: Tamara: There must be a tightly sealed return duct from the furnace to the return grille in the ... | |
| Fuel gas line to the garage | 6/8/2008 |
| Q: I'm planning to install a gas heater in the garage in the future. For now we are re-doing the back ... A: Michael: You're going to need a contractor at some point, so it might be good to get one involved ... | |
| followup email | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: how many air ducts needed per room Question We have just replaced 1 unit last summer that serves ... A: Michelle: Still working on askweldin, spent some time today. Using Yahoo hosting/composing. It'll ... | |
| Gas Hot Water - in Hall Closet - vent options | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: We just purchased a 14 year old home and replaced the old gas hot water heater with a new Bradford ... A: Erin: It is a concern, but the REAL unsafe condition occurs when there's another gas appliance or ... | |
| Ventilation of hot water heater closet | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: Fred, I have a one story house on a slab where the 40 galllon gas hot water heater is in a closet. ... A: George: One opening into the attic is permitted. Free Area must be at least 14 sq. inches; if you ... | |
| Gas Hot Water - in Hall Closet - vent options | 5/30/2008 |
| Q: We just purchased a 14 year old home and replaced the old gas hot water heater with a new Bradford ... A: Erin: The openings must be within 12" of the floor and within 12" of the ceiling. Minimum size of ... | |
| gas furnace venting | 5/20/2008 |
| Q: have an old gas furnace to replace in my home has single wall flue pipe can the new furnaces 80% be ... A: Bobby: Usually, see Installation Instructions for your make and model. I'm surprised you're even ... | |
| Closet for hot water heater in garage | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: I am installing a closet around my hot water heater in my garage. I am trying to find out the ... A: Tommy: No luck: The outdoor opening must be high either way (single opening or indoor/outdoor ... | |
| Closet for hot water heater in garage | 5/13/2008 |
| Q: I am installing a closet around my hot water heater in my garage. I am trying to find out the ... A: Tommy:One opening required (we're using the "One-permanent-opening method" under 2006 International ... | |
| GAS HEAT VENTILATION | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I HAVE PROPANE HEAT IN MY RAISED RANCH WITH THE HEATER BEING IN THE CLOSET OF THE LOWER LEVEL. I ... A: Erik: There's no provision in the 2006 International Fuel Gas Code for louvered doors. You'll have ... | |
| Closet for hot water heater in garage | 4/23/2008 |
| Q: I am installing a closet around my hot water heater in my garage. I am trying to find out the ... A: Tommy: Send me a follow up. Is it a gas water heater? Oil? Electric? That makes a difference. If ... | |
| Residential Gas Line | 4/10/2008 |
| Q: Would a low pressure residential gas line be considered defective if a test gauge left on for a week ... A: Tim: I have no experience testing gas lines at 40X operating pressure, but I do know the huge ... | |
| Residential Gas Line | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: Would a low pressure residential gas line be considered defective if a test gauge left on for a week ... A: Tim: The test pressure must be at least 3 psig (about eight times working pressure), test duration ... | |
| a/c condensate drain | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I keep getting mixed information on air conditioning condensate drain legalities. I live in Fort ... A: Charles: I can tell you what the code says, but your local plumbing inspector is the only one who ... | |
| exhaust line | 3/3/2008 |
| Q: I own a condominium unit in a 4 story building in Chicago. The first floor is composed of 3 ... A: Mark: I assume it's a kitchen hood exhaust duct. That's governed by NFPA 96, which requires a wall ... | |
| flue pipe | 2/22/2008 |
| Q: Do you have to screw section together if less than 2ft from 90 to chimney? A: Ron: I assume you're working with round single wall metal duct. If so, this becomes a duct ... | |
Building Codes and Inspections
Answers by Expert:
Fred Weldin
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
All aspects of International Mechanical Code, International Energy Conservation Code and International Fuel Gas Code.
Experience
I now troubleshoot existing H&AC installations and design H&AC systems and oversee their installations. I have 23 years experience as a H&AC contractor, and I've worked with the tools as a plumber-pipefitter. I'm certified by ICC as a Commercial Mechanical Inspector.
Organizations
ASHRAE, ICC, NSPE.
Education/Credentials
B of ME, numerous factory schools (York, Honeywell, etc.) and Code seminars.
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